Lore of the Stars
by QuietKnight'sWrath
Summary: Popstar needs new heroes, and it will get an... "interesting" set of protagonists. In this switched Kirby AU, all our adorable friends are now heartless villains. It is now up to Magolor to be the savior of Popstar! Follow his journey as he builds a team to protect his home and learn some important lessons on how the universe really works.
1. Prologue

_**GAME OVER**_

 _"Do you see it?"_

 _"That speck of light?"_

 _"Yes. He has fallen again."_

 _"What caused it this time? Was it the machine?"_

 _"Yes. It is time for him to restart."_

 _"..."_

 _"The hero of Dreamland must return."_

 _"Must he?"_

 _"He expels the darkness. You see him unfit?"_

 _"Youth with so much victory grow arrogant."_

 _"You suspect mutiny? Of a child?"_

 _"Never has such a naive being given this much power."_

 _"I see. He heart is pure, though."_

 _"For how long? After so much tragedy, things might change."_

 _"Your point has been made. What do you propose?"_

 _"Send another. From the beginning."_

 _"What? Another? Who could possibly do better?"_

 _"I see another four as strong as these."_

 _"Are you suggesting a trial-and-error restart?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _"..."_

 _"Give them a chance at redemption."_

 _"This will change everything. All history will be backwards."_

 _"The universe would be in more experienced hands."_

 _"Does experience equal skill?"_

 _"No, but experience creates skill."_

 _"..."_

 _"How much more despair must Popstar endure? Send someone else."_

 _"It is true. The darkness always returns."_

 _"..."_

 _"I have decided. We will entrust new heroes."_

 _"If they fail, all will return as it was."_

 _"They will not fail. Are you ready?"_

 **"OKAY"**

 **3**

 **2**

 **1**

 **...**

 **-**

A low rumble shook what remained of the wooden shack, signifying the approach of the Halberd. Magolor dropped the bag he had been filling with supplies from their temporary camp and dared to peek outside of the window above the sink. The bulk of the warship dominated the sky, wings draping over the land like bony, possessive fingers. Against his will, the Halcandran shivered with a tremor of fright. The inside of the ship was just as frightening as its outer appearance...

"PSST! Mago! Get your furry butt in gear! We have to get ready to run for it!"

Magolor turned around to confront Marx, who was tapping his foot impatiently. The jester carefully balanced his own bag of supplies on top of his duel-colored hat, insistent on pulling his own weight.

"Shove as much crap as you can in that bag be ready for the signal. As soon as the Halberd is gone, we gotta meet Spiderman and Lancelot in the forest. Unless you like sitting here waiting to get caught and turned into a throw rug."

He did not try to argue, though Magolor wanted to remind his friend that Taranza and Galacta were not fond of the nicknames that they did not even ask for. It was a waste of breath, though. Marx established long ago that he did as he pleased. Maybe that's why his bounty is so high. Not that Magolor's was any lower. Ah, the joys of being a rebel.

The Halcandran finished packing as much food and first aid supplies as he could get and held it tightly in his disembodied hands. As they waited for the sounds of the Halberd to fade, Marx nudged him lightly, almost startling him.

"Hey, hey, hey... Don't look like that! We'll get out of this. We've got a plan, remember? Yep! The perfect plan! We do some meeting up... maybe some improvising... running for our lives... storming that blasted blueberry's castle, and finally wipe that smug look off his face! I call dibs on locking him in the dungeon! Heeheehee~!"

Though the crazed optimism usually cheered him up, Magolor could not fight back a sense of dread that something would go horribly wrong. Their journey towards the castle had been suspiciously easy. He did not want to fall into another trap. Not again. The nightmares of his mistakes still kept him awake each night, half-hoping that morning would not come and bring more fear and disappointment.

"I don't know if it will be that easy Marx... I mean... about our plan... Do you really think we can beat Meta Knight?"

"That's what I just said. Don't you have faith in your best buddy, Marx? The four of us can take out one old man playing around in his Halloween costume. We do that, get rid of the two henchmen, and lock up his bratty little kid in jail. Easy as it gets, Maggy! Trust your buddy!"

When he did not get the response he wanted, Marx sighed and spoke more honestly.

"Look, you think I don't know that this looks really bad? It's gonna be hard. Like, ridiculously hard. My _ingenious_ plan might not work, but we're not going to die. You got that? We've come too far to drop dead! We started at the bottom, built up a team, and now we're close enough to victory that we can realistically believe that we have a chance of getting to the top! The castle is just a few miles away, and Metal Head is out cruising. I think. If we can beat him to the castle, we can surprise him. Just imagine what happens after that! We can sleep at night without bats under our pillows, roll around in the grass outside, or do whatever the hell we want!"

"Marx."

"Hold up. I'm not finished yet-"

"I don't hear anything."

Both fell silent, hardly daring to breath. They heard nothing. Marx carefully leaned towards the window behind Magolor, hoping to see the Halberd as a speck in the distance.

Instead, he an excellent view of an armored cannon aimed directly at the shack.

"G-Get on the floor, Mag! He landed while I was rambling! Why didn't you shut me up?!"

They flattened themselves on the floor while Magolor mentally slapped himself for letting his guard down. As much as he wanted the words of encouragement, he should have waited until the group was together again. Now they were trapped.

"I'm sorry, Marx. I didn't think. What should we do now?"

"Obviously we can't walk out there without getting blown to bits. T-Bo and Gala probably went with standard procedure and found somewhere to hide. So we can't call for help. Fear not! The All Mighty Marx will solve this problem! We... um... We just gotta... and uh... Pass."

"That doesn't help at all! Be serious, please!"

"Hey, hey, I passed it to you, but I as your friend I'll give it another shot. Hmm..."

Though he covered it well with humor, Magolor could tell that Marx was frightened. He had never gotten this close to the Halberd before. The Halcandran envied him for it. The jester interrupted before his mind could delve into unpleasant memories.

"Okay, okay. I've got a crazy plan, but it might work. Random fact: you will hate me for it."

Magolor's ears flattened, and his lip curled back in a snarl.

"If you think I would get on that ship-"

"But listen! Listen! If we 'surrender' we might live another day!"

"NO, Marx! Getting blown up will be more pleasant than that! I told you about-"

Marx hardened his gaze at his upset companion.

"I know what happened, but you've got me this time! It'll be different! Hear me out! We play along, they'll try to lock us up somewhere in there, we bust out, **commandeer that sucker and escape with the Halberd!** "

The jester giggled with delight while Magolor began to wring his hands nervously.Marx was always dangerously bold, but stealing the Halberd? With Meta Knight probably on it? They would never get away with that. The masked swordsman would tear them limb from limb for trying such a thing. For even thinking about it. And yet... Magolor saw the reasoning behind the plan. They could not escape the broken down shack, and the decaying wood could not protect them from the blast of a cannon. If they ran for the forest, it would be the same result. The only place they could realistically go without immediately dying was the battleship parked outside. Even then, time was limited. Magolor finally found his words, though they were barely above a whisper.

"Do you think we can play along well enough to escape?"

Seeing that his words were getting him somewhere, the jester smirked with a hint of pride.

"Of course! We're good liars! If Meta Knight's up there, we tell him exactly what he wants to hear! ' _We're sorry we encouraged rebellion... We didn't mean to hide the last Star Warriors from you... Let me make you some tea... May we sing your praises while giving you a massage? How about a bubble bath?'_ Well, I don't think he wants that, but you get what I mean! We've sweet-talked our way out of messes before, and we can do it again! I'm better at tricking people than you, so let me do most of the talking. Okay? Let's leave a note and our stuff for Big T and Gallie Guy. When the coast is clear, they'll come back. Oh! If we can convince Meta to take us back to the castle, the others can meet us there! It goes perfectly with our plan! Marx, you are so smart!"

He smiled victoriously, although Magolor looked rather nauseous. Knowing that this was the best they could do, the Halcandran finally gave in. He carefully stood up, avoiding being seen through the window and went to unlock the door. With a pencil in his mouth, Marx quickly threw a note together and used his foot to shove it all of their belongings under the couch.

"Hey, hey! We're ready to go! Remember, big winning smiles, Mags! We are giving up, we know nothing about where Terry and Go-Go are, and we will do whatever he wants. Got it? I gotta count on you, Maggo!"

"I-I got it. Let's just get this over with..."

-

After that, we... Ugh... Sorry. This story never gets any easier to tell. Maybe I'm telling it too fast? Yeah, that's it.

Maybe I should start from the beginning. Before the surrender... Before I made friends... Before I met Meta Knight...

Let's start from the very beginning... back when I traveled alone to Castle Dedede for the first time.

That's when I ran into a little puff named Kirby, and my life changed forever.


	2. Chapter 1: START GAME

Sunlight filtered through the port holes of the Lor Starcutter, bathing the cold metal interior with comforting light. Rays of sunshine illuminated the already brightly colored walls. The sun continued to rise as the Lor reactivated and made preparations for another day with its single companion. Eventually, the sole inhabitant began to stir from sleep.

Magolor stretched, to the best of his ability, and prepared for his morning rituals. After taking a long shower and getting dressed in his usual hooded cloak and cape, the Halcandran stood at the control center of the Lor, a steaming cup of tea in one hand and typing with the other. As usual, Magolor preferred to find out what was going on in Dreamland from the comfort of his home rather than venturing outside. Nothing really happened much in Dreamland anyway, or even all of planet Popstar. Other than the scuffling between the residents, nothing tremendously bad happened either, though it did make going outside rather unappealing. Magolor appreciated the peace, though he did on occasion wish that something new would change up his routine. From the safety of home, of course. Right?

His thoughts began to wander as they usually did when he thought too much about his Starcutter. He did not have a clue as to where he got it, where it came from, or when it became his home. In his earliest memories, it had always been the sentient ship and himself. Magolor had no recollection of family or even friends. He once asked the Lor for their background information, but it either did not have it or refused to give it. The most it would give him is that he was a Halcandran, which gave away absolutely nothing. He was used to the ship's stubborn silence and thought little of it. On quiet mornings such as these, however, Magolor felt these small incidents crawl up from the depths of his consciousness.

 _Who am I? Why am I here? Does it even matter?_

Magolor pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on the large monitor above him. There was not much point in trying to figure it out anyway. Not this early in the morning. Perhaps his purpose in life would strike him later. He drained half of his tea and absentmindedly scanned the words in front of him. Because the news never changed much, Magolor only read about half of each sentence.

The Halcandran would have stopped reading if the Lor had not included what appeared to be an announcement from the king himself: 

**Residence of Dreamland!**

 **All are invited invited to Castle Dedede!**  
 **The King will provide food to all who come in peace!**  
 **Free of charge!**  
 **Celebrate peace and bring your friends or someone in need!**

The message was signed off at the bottom by the king, which the Lor verified as genuine. Given how kindly Dedede was, this kind of offer did not surprise him. The king of Dreamland cared very much for his people, and he was quite popular among the locals as well. As a man the enjoyed good food himself, it was not uncommon of him to invite others to dine with him. For a moment, Magolor felt the temptation to consider going to such an event. Only a moment.

Magolor was hesitant to leave the Lor Starcutter. The ship was strong enough to protect him from just about everything. _Even things that I really, really want to know..._ He shook the thought away and glanced at the invitation again. King Dedede may be kind, but that did not make Dreamland any less dangerous. _Could I even make a journey like that? Alone?_ Magolor realized that he was still thinking about it and stepped away from the control panel. _No. I don't need to go anywhere. I should stay here where I'm safe._

The silence within the ship suddenly became apparent. He did not recall the last time he spoke to someone other than the Lor, who could only respond through text. Magolor did well in ignoring his loneliness, but when opportunities like this came around, it seemed to open a void within him that could not be sated with books or ship maintenance.

As if sensing his inner turmoil, the invitation vanished, and the words of the Lor Starcutter filled the screen.

 **THERE IS NO NEED TO GO OUT.**

Although the ship had no voice, Magolor always felt that it spoke down to him, like strict mother to a (ridiculously simple) child. It always argued that it knew what was best. The Halcandran rarely questioned it. This was an intelligent and sentient ship after all. Why bother doubting it? It was one of those days, that's why. The food did not really matter, but Magolor wanted to go out today.

"Lor, I know that it's dangerous out there, but one trip to the castle can't be that bad."

 **DREAMLAND IS DANGEROUS. CREATURES WILL ATTACK YOU.**

"I'm familiar with how it works, but there are straight, clear roads that lead right to the castle. If I follow that, I won't get lost or run into anything huge that I can't handle."

 **YOU CANNOT DEFEND YOURSELF. STAY HERE WHERE YOU ARE SAFE.**

As usual, Magolor knew that the Lor would keep the conversation looping back to the beginning until he gave up. The invitation had given him a glimmer of hope that his dull routine could be broken, and it gave him the need to push his luck. A smirk formed under his scarf as he hatched a plan.

"You're right, Lor. Just like always..."

No response.

"I guess this conversation is over, huh? I'd still like to talk about something to pass the time."

 **WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DISCUSS? SHALL I GENERATE A RANDOM TOPIC?**

"I'd like to talk about me."

 **THERE ARE SAFER TOPICS TO CHOOSE FROM.**

"No, no, no. This is much safer than going outside. Don't you think?"

Years of having a computer as a companion had taught Magolor that wit and cunning were invaluable skills to have. Physical force meant nothing, and neither did emotions. Technology had to be beaten at its own game, and the Starcutter was a very sore loser. It was quiet for a long time, processing his words and looking for a response that would keep the Halcandran silent and inside the Lor. Fifteen minutes later, text appeared on the monitor.

 **WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK ABOUT YOURSELF?**

Magolor let out a breath that he had been holding for a time and silently thanked the stars for this centimeter of progress.

"You won't tell me where we came from or why we are here, but will you tell me anything else? Do I have family somewhere, or a purpose other than to stay in here all day?"

There was another pause as the Lor searched for ways around the questions.

 **YES.**

"Um... Yes to what exactly?"

 **YOU HAVE A PURPOSE: TO SURVIVE WITHIN THIS PLACE WHERE NOTHING CAN HARM YOU. STOP ASKING QUESTIONS AND ACCEPT IT.**

It was not the answer that he wanted. Magolor knew that the Lor was getting irritated now, and it might become upset with him if he pushed the subject much further. Still, he was not satisfied. He was not entirely sure why he felt so torn. The idea of going out was both ghastly and enticing; it was dangerous, but it had bountiful rewards. True, he could stay in the ship as he always had, clean and perform maintenance work as he always had. But Magolor knew, deep in his heart, that he would not be happy. The mornings of wondering and questioning would come again and again without relief. _Have I always been this unhappy? Well... maybe? Yes?_ _Oh, who am I kidding? I'm going to go insane living like this!_

"Lor, please. I can't do this anymore. I know you want to protect me, but I need a little more freedom. I... I want to go out, meet people, see places in person and not on a screen... I want to live a real life! And I can learn to defend myself! Finding someone to train me wouldn't be that hard. Please, trust me."

No response. The lights flickered, and the sound of sliding metal made Magolor jumped. The windows were barred, as were the doors. The Lor was done with this subject and sought to end it in whatever way possible. He turned around in horror, suddenly fearful of how he was completely at the Lor's mercy.

 **I CANNOT TRUST YOU. YOU MUST NOT LEAVE. YOU WILL DIE IF YOU LEAVE.**

Magolor tested the door to the outside. It was firmly held in place, efficiently trapping him within his home. The Lor had never done this to him before. It moved on its own accord, but it never directly stopped him from doing something. It had never threatened him. _The Lor wouldn't hurt me, would it? Oh Stars, why did I do this?!_

"L-Lor... you wouldn't hurt me for wanting do go outside, would you?"

 **WILL "HURT" TEACH YOU A LESSON? WILL IT KEEP YOU HERE WHERE YOU ARE SAFE?**

Time seemed to slow down as Magolor struggled to think coherently. _Okay, I just gave the Lor the idea to torture me. How do I get around this?_ The Halcandran backed away from the monitor until his back hit the sealed door. The combination of fear and cold metal sent chills up his spine.

"I-I won't be safe i-in the here if you have to hurt me to make me stay. Right, Lor?"

 **I WILL NEVER LET YOU DIE. OUTSIDE, YOU WILL DIE.**

Magolor fought back tears as realization hit him hard. The Lor would do anything to keep him here. He had not known the danger of this until now. He had always been trapped inside the Lor against his will, without his knowledge. Perhaps it was a far off thought buried in his subconscious, but it never surfaced enough to get attention. Now it would be branded in his nightmares forever. The Lor could hurt him without remorse, and it would do so to keep him contained. With words as his only weapon, he struggled to think of anything that could spare him a life of imprisonment, or at least buy him enough time to find a better plan.

"Lor, please... I don't want things to be like this. Please tell me what's going on! What's so terrible that you would rather torture me than let me find out?!"

 **I KNOW YOUR FUTURE.**

Magolor would have asked further questions if he had not begun trembling with fright. Thankfully, for once, the Lor elaborated.

 **I KNOW THE PATH THAT HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR YOU. IF YOU LEAVE THE LOR STARCUTTER, YOU WILL NOT COME BACK, AND YOU WILL DIE. YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR SOMETHING YOU ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO DO. ONLY I CAN PROTECT YOU FROM THIS.**

Now it was Magolor's turn to not respond immediately. _Path? What path? What has the Lor been hiding from me?!_

"I-I don't understand. What are you talking about? Tell me something! Let me understand what's happening just this once!"

 **KNOWING A LITTLE WILL ONLY MAKE YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE. WOULD YOU TRULY RATHER KNOW AND DIE THAN STAY BLIND BUT SAFE?**

The windows and doors were unbarred, and the entrance to the Lor suddenly opened as it waited for Magolor's response. He looked outside, taking in Dreamland's still rising sun and forests of green. Those forests hid monsters as well as roads to new places. The faint scent of flowers and grass reached his nose.

"I... I can't stay here forever, Lor."

 **IF THAT IS TRUE, THEN I WAS DESTINED TO FAIL. GOODBYE MAGOLOR.**

Metal and mechanisms shrieked in protest as the Starcutter began to move. Magolor fell back as the Lor began to tilt itself on its side, cause everything in the room to shift towards the entryway. The Halcandran had nothing to hold on to, and he slid helplessly out the door, down the ramp, and into the grass. He sat up immediately as the Lor slammed its openings shut and locked them.

He watched as the ship began to rise into the air with mixed feelings of awe and confusion. When it was far beyond his reach, the front door opened again. One large and one small suitcase fell from the opening, landing close enough to Magolor that he had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit. What the Lor did next was even more shocking. _It created a portal._ A star-shaped portal opened before it, with endless stars and darkness speckling the inside. The sentient ship shot forward with unbelievable speed and vanished, as if it had never been there at all.

Magolor did not move for while, the events that just took place still processing in his mind. _I tried to learn more from the Lor, I thought about going outside, then it got mad and... abandoned me? And fled to another dimension? What did the Lor want to protect me from so badly?_ He finally stood up and brushed the dirt and grass from his clothes and took in the area around him. It was mostly open plains dotted with clusters of trees and flower patches. In every direction he turned, there were simple dirt paths that lead to different parts of Popstar. Magolor had only ever traveled to the edge of the forests to gather food. Everything else was unfamiliar territory.

The Halcandran glanced down at the suitcases given to him by the Lor. The small grey case was made of a strong metal similar to the ship itself and appeared to be unlock-able by a four-number combination code. The large grey case was also made of metal but was not protected by locks. For the sake of curiosity, Magolor decided to open it. The distraction was very much appreciated. He sat down in front of it and carefully pried the box open. Inside appeared to be some sort of large ornament. It was a large glowing star-shaped object. Curious as to why he was given such a thing, he lifted it out of the box and turned it around in his hands. The light blue star was warm and smooth, giving off comforting vibes. He tossed it upwards, getting a sense of its weight. The star floated slowly back into his hands. It felt no heavier than an apple did. He could not help but smile. It was an essentially useless object, yet something about its brightness and energy made him feel rather happy. For the fun of it, Magolor tossed it again, but it did not return to his hands this time. The star hovered above him, swaying up and down yet defying the laws of gravity nonetheless. Seeing as his hand could not quite reach it, he picked up the small suitcase for extra weight and launched himself upward, a nifty ability that he had discovered accidentally while reaching for things on high shelves. His body lunged towards the star, and he managed to grab onto one the points and climb onto it.

As soon as he had a decent grip on it, the object began to shake violently. Magolor was about to let go when the star suddenly took off like a rocket desperate to burn some fuel. With a scream escaping him involuntarily, Magolor held on for dear life. He kept his eyes shut, unable to witness how high off the ground he was getting in such a short amount of time. Only when the star began to slow down did he dare to open his eyes again. His golden orbs took in a thick forested area, filled with trees of various sizes. Some seemed to form tall towers deeper into the forest.

The wild ride ended. The star touched down at the forest's entrance and vanished without a trace. Cradling the small case against his chest, Magolor shook himself and stood up. _I'm alive... Somehow, I'm still alive. Homeless, completely lost, and possibly losing my mind... but still alive. What should I do now? I don't know where I am. I don't have anywhere to go... except... If I could find my way to the castle, I bet the king would help me. Yeah! A nice guy like that would help anyone! If I can find someone willing to give me directions, I could get there and ask for help. I don't see any other way. I'll pin my hopes on this for now..._

Magolor took a deep breath, composed himself, and began following the path into the depths of the forest. 

**STAGE 1 GREEN GREENS**


	3. Chapter 2: Stage One- Green Greens

**STAGE 1 GREEN GREENS**

Progress was slow, and noon had long passed by. Beneath the cool shade of the trees, Magolor had stopped to rest, closing his eyes and taking in the breeze for a brief moment before continuing on his journey. He could not sit still for long, as he was certain that enemies would eventually find him. Apparently following the open path had not been the best idea. Hordes of Waddle Dees, Doos, and predatory birds camped out on these roads, bickering with each other and lashing out at anything that got close. Magolor knew that the creatures of Dreamland were dangerous, but seeing for himself just how dangerous it was in the wilds caught him off guard. Being armed with only a suitcase did not help much either. It made a decent weapon, but he preferred to run and avoid conflict. The Halcandran currently sat in an open area near the thickest part of the forest, taking a deep breath before deciding to move on. He wanted to stay on the move so he would not have to hide from another Dee or bludgeon an angry bird. If enemies kept slowing him down like this, there was no way he could get to decent shelter by nightfall.

Leaves rustled among the greenery to his left. Magolor stiffened as his ears twitched, trying to pick up on what it was. He clutched the handle of his suitcase tighter, raising it up to cover his chest. Still, nothing jumped from the shadows. The source of the sounds shifted among the bushes, moving around him in a circle as if to find the best angle to attack. Magolor had not encountered something like this yet and assumed running was not an option this time. The creatures he encountered so far were definitely not the brightest, but that did not mean that intelligent beasts did not live here. He was already tiring from getting this far and decided to solve this problem with his mind instead. _Everything living in this forest likes to be aggressive. Maybe I can try intimidation?_ Magolor collected himself and called out into the forest.

"Who's following me?! You better show yourself... or else! I'll-I'll teach you a lesson!"

He inwardly groaned at his squeaky, nervous voice. His disastrous attempt at sounding threatening was met with restrained, then hysterical laughter. Magolor felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. Anger gave him a spark of bravery, and he hovered over to the bushes and pulled the stems out of the way. What he found was quite... interesting?

A round, purple creature was tearing up with laughter. He wore thick brown boots, somewhat caked with mud on the bottom, and duel colored jester's hat, blue and red respectively. A crooked blue bow tie rested below the jaw. Nearby was a large beach ball, which Magolor assumed belonged to the jester. _At least he doesn't seem dangerous. Obviously rude, but not a threat._ _What's a jester doing out here?_ Magolor had seen other creatures in similar garb, though they were clearly a different species... and they threw bombs. He decided to wait until the laughter died down to start speaking.

"I get that I'm not that scary, but it's kind of rude to laugh at people like that."

His comment was met with a devilish grin and dark purple eyes to match. The jester bit his lower lip briefly to hold back a fit of giggles, revealing fang-like teeth.

"You make a good point, but I've always been told not to talk to strangers... so..."

"But you were the one spying on me! If you're not here to pick a fight with me, then you should apologize."

" _You_ apologize. I was enjoying a peaceful stroll until you distracted me. So, this it your fault."

Magolor's frustration grew to the stranger's delight. He vaguely remembered using such dodgy, ridiculous logic to try to get differing reactions from the Lor and began to wonder if it ever grew this upset with him before. He tried to keep his temper in check before responding.

"I have nothing to apologize for!"

" _I have nothing to apologize for!_ "

The jester continued in a high pitched, whining tone.

" _I want the universe to cater to me and pity me while I beat people's brains in with my briefcase! Oh, woe is me!_ Hehehehehe! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Magolor was livid and losing his internal battle in trying to control his temper. _That's it! I can't lose anymore daylight over this guy!_

"Fine! Forget it! I don't have time for this! I need to get out of here before dark."

Fed up with being mocked, he turned around and headed back towards the path that lead to the depths of the forest. Barely a minute passed before the jester was at his side again, balancing on the multicolored ball. He practically jogged on it until he caught up with Magolor, a somewhat friendlier smile on his face.

"Hey, hey, hey! Don't get so mad over one joke. Not that it was much of a joke. You **did** sound pretty pathetic, and you **did** beat people up with your suitcase. So, where are you headed? Business trip? Vacation? Shady drug deal under a bridge?"

Magolor intended to ignore him, but this was the first approachable person he had met in... How long had it been? Years? _Oh, Stars... I don't remember the last time I spoke to a living, breathing person!_

"I'm not doing any of those things. Not that you need to know what I'm doing."

"Oh... You must be really stupid, then."

The ball rolled into the Halcandran's path to halt his progress.

"You can't just run around in the woods by yourself. Unless you **want** to be someone's dinner. And I know you're not on business or a pleasant stroll. I live here, and I know everybody! Everybody but you. I've never seen you before in my life!"

The crooked grin twisted downwards into a scowl.

"Come to think of it... I've never even seen your kind around here before... Nobody walks around Dreamland alone and especially not strangers... Where are you going in such a hurry? Dreamland is a lazy place. Why so desperate?"

The extreme shift in mood made Magolor halt in his tracks, unable to think on an immediate response. The insane glare he was receiving made him feel no better.

"L-Look, I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'm just passing through, honestly! I've never been in this part of Dreamland before. That's why you don't know me!"

"If you've never been in the Forest Corner, then where are you from?"

"... There are corners?"

The jester looked at him as if he had suddenly grown another head.

"Yeah. Corners. Stars have those. This one has five. You really don't even know where you live? Your planet's shape? Seriously?! What **do** you know?"

Magolor felt the frustration rise again before realization dawned on him. _I... I don't know anything. Lor kept me sheltered from everything, filtering out unnecessary information._ His grip faltered, and the suitcase slipped from his fingers, thudding on the floor of grass below him. _How am I supposed to survive the trip to the castle? I don't know how to get there! I don't know how to deal with people or communicate!_ The jester's harsh reaction suddenly made sense. After all, he was this strange **thing** that just showed up. A really clueless thing that did not even know its planet's shape. Magolor hated the sinking, helpless feeling in his gut. However, facts were facts: he needed information, and he found someone who has some. Even if it was a risk, the truth had to come out.

"To be completely honest, I don't know much. I kind of lost my home today, and I'm trying to get to King Dedede's castle to get help. I didn't mean to act suspicious or cause trouble. I just have no idea what I'm doing. If you could point me in the right direction, I'll get out of your way, and I won't have to bother you ever again."

The confession was met with silence. The jester observed him carefully, looking for any indication of deceit. He saw none and answered slowly.

"The castle, huh? Makes sense. The king's a big push over. He'd help anybody who asked nicely. But, you're not going to get that far today. It's getting late, and one of the number one rules of Dreamland is 'don't travel at night.' Night is bad. Head out as soon as the sun is up and you should be able to hike up to Castle Lololo by noon. It's easy to get lost in there, but they love guests."

The jester continued to mumble directions that Magolor struggled to keep up with as he rolled his ball back into the woods. The conflicted Halcandran picked up his only possession and hurried after him.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going? I didn't hear that last part! Wait up!"

Magolor's strange companion lead him to a small wooden house hidden among the trees. It was about half the Lor's size, but it had a cozy appearance, as if this is what a real home is like. The jester kicked his ball to the side and shoved the door open with his foot. Still muttering, he walked in and left it open, apparently expecting Magolor to immediately follow. _He suspected me of being dangerous and gave me a speech about how Dreamland is unsafe at night, yet he doesn't lock his door?_ Feeling a bit apprehensive, Magolor entered the jester's home anyway.

There were technically only two rooms: the bathroom and the rest of the house. One corner was a bedroom, with a thin mattress and end table. The corner opposite of it was the kitchen area which appeared normal, having a refrigerator, oven, and sink. The space immediately right of the front door was a sitting area, with three chairs and a crammed bookshelf. Between this and the kitchen was a small fireplace that desperately needed to be cleaned. The last corner was closed off in a bathroom. The furnishings seemed to match his tastes, either being red or blue. There was a faint scent of ashes in the air, indicating that a fire had been put out a while ago. The windows let in plenty of light, adding to a surprisingly calm atmosphere. Magolor had never seen anything like this before, but he liked it immediately. _I wonder if the king could help me find something like this._ He was brought out of his thoughts when the jester finally spoke up clearly.

"A joke like you wouldn't last five minutes at night, and you don't look like a serial killer, so I guess you can stay here tonight. Oh, and I'm Marx. I don't think I told you that. Did I tell you that?"

Magolor wanted to jump at the chance to stay in a place like this, but he was also aware that this "Marx" gave him some bad vibes. They had only met a few minutes ago, and he did not get a good first impression. Then again, he also recalled that it was true that Dreamland was more dangerous at night, though he did not recall the reason why. A kind invitation like this probably would not show itself again, and it was be silly to refuse it. Though Magolor hated to slow his journey even more, the chance to stay in a house and talk to a real person was too good to pass up.

"Thank you. I'll take you up on that offer. I am Magolor. It's... nice to officially meet you, Marx."

"You can skip the politeness-crap. Just don't poke your nose where it doesn't belong, and we'll get along just fine."

Marx made himself comfortable in one the chairs and waited for his new guest to do the same. When Magolor was seated, the devilish smirk made a reappearance.

"So! You say you lost your home? How did that happen? You don't look like the type to skip bills or irritate neighbors."

Magolor was not sure he want to tell a stranger about the Lor, but since he was being given board out of pure kindness (he hoped), he figured it was best to be completely honest.

"It wasn't anything like that. You see, I lived in a sentient ship called the Lor Starcutter. We got into an argument of sorts, it threatened to torture me and keep me locked up for the rest of my life before it just kicked me out... It was kind of my fault, though. I was badgering the Lor with questions of my past because I don't really **know** my past because it never told me anything useful-"

Magolor stopped when he noticed the look Marx was giving him. He looked confused and ,above all, dumbfounded. _Is a situation like mine uncommon here?_

"I'm sorry. Was that too much?"

He was met with a blank stare until it began to transform. The loud, uncontrolled laughter also made a return. Marx laughed until he fell out of chair and actually rolled on the floor. He attempted to speak between fits of laughter.

"You! Hehehe- You sound like you're on some serious crack, bro! HAHAHAHAHAHA! Sentient ships? That's a new one on me! Oh, my ribs! Hehehahaha!"

Marx eventually composed himself, wearing a semi-friendly, semi-mischievous grin.

"Wow, this is the most entertainment I've had in a long time! You and me? We're going to be good friends. Do you want something to eat? You look half starved in those baggy clothes. Go help yourself, then I want to hear more about this **interesting** life of yours!"


	4. Chapter 3: Stage One- Tutorial

Magolor lost track of how long he had been talking, nor did he realize that he was basically pouring his heart out to the first person he met on his journey. However, confiding in someone that did not respond in a predictable way felt better than he could describe in simple terms. Marx listened patiently to his guest's life story, which did not consist of much. Though, a hidden past and a sentient ship were intriguing. He had read about things like advanced technology and magic before but had sparsely had the opportunity to witness any himself. Dreamland was pretty simple and boring, after all. After deciding that Magolor was not someone to be threatened by, the jester allowed him to know a bit about himself. Likewise, Marx did not have much to tell. He had lived in many places across Popstar but eventually opted to stay in a more permanent place, namely, the safest area possible. He occasionally left the forest, but usually stayed relatively close to his house. Naturally, Magolor asked how Marx had traveled so far unharmed. With a triumphant grin, he replied that he often spread horrific rumors about himself to keep aggressive beasts and prying eyes out of his way. His favorite lie was when he told the forest natives that he regularly performed ritualistic sacrifices involving innocent victims and a plate of spaghetti which he worshiped feverishly. His absurd humor was lost on his companion, but it still made him giggle just thinking about it. Marx was surprised that he had never noticed the Lor or Magolor before. He liked keeping tabs on anything interesting, and this **definitely** qualified as interesting.

The sun had set long ago, and fatigue was starting to take hold of the Halcandran. After gratefully accepting a meal, he practically passed out in his chair. Technically, he had not traveled that far, but it was the most he had traveled in his life. Running, fighting, and constantly looking for safe places to hide was also mentally draining. Not to mention getting kicked out of the Lor. Finding someone to talk to helped quite a bit, but he needed rest more than anything else.

Unfortunately, nightmares plagued his rest. At first, his confrontation with the Lor Starcutter repeated itself once or twice. Eventually, the memory distorted, becoming slowly more violent as monsters were thrown into the mix. Magolor could not move or defend himself; he could only call for help that would never come. He had no one to call. Everything was out to get him, and there was nowhere he could hide from them. He was certain that his heart was beating loudly enough to to be heard by his assailants. Mocking laughter made his ears ring.

Then it was over.

Fleeting images of bright lights and blurred faces slipped just out of his grasp.

Star flickered in the night sky.

Concerned voices repeated his name.

Magolor jolted awake. At first, he had no idea where he was. He then recalled his ongoing dilemma and sighed with relief. He was free of the sentient ship and staying in a safe place for now. As soon as the word formed in his mind, it stuck with him. He sat up straight, and his gaze flitted to the window in time to see the first rays of daylight filtering between the trees. _Free. Free. What does that really mean? For me?_ It suddenly struck him that, now that he was on his own, he could plan out whatever future he wanted. Getting a place to live came first of course, but after that was said and done, what would he do? Now that he had his freedom, he did not know what to do with it. He had never been on his own long enough to make or understand long-term independent goals. Perhaps that would a question for his strange companion. Marx knew more about Popstar than he did after all. Magolor got out of his chair and glanced at his host in the back of the room. He was still snoring softly, his upper half engulfed by his jester's hat. Marx had not even bothered to take off his shoes either and apparently just collapsed into bed at some point. Magolor decided he was not surprised. With nothing else to do, the Halcandran decided to step outside for a moment for some fresh air. Perhaps that was what he needed to clear his thoughts and get a rough plan together before he headed out again.

Because the forest was so dense, the light of day had not reached the tiny cottage, save for a few rays peeking through the foliage. There was just enough light to see but no more. Magolor did not dare to get too far from the house, having left his makeshift weapon inside. He wondered if he should ask Marx if he can open it later. It would be nice to know what the Lor gave him. With a sigh, Magolor sat down in front of the door. He almost closed his eyes and fully relaxed, but movement among the trees caught his attention. He wasn't willing to believe that it was a harmless bird, not after getting attacked by nearly everything until he met Marx. Magolor scanned the treeline for further movement and saw none. He dared to move a little farther from the house. Still, there was nothing. Holding his breath, he hovered within hands-reach of the nearest tree but close enough to turn back if needed. The forest was unnaturally silent now, the only noise being Magolor's shallow breaths and pounding heart. He poured over the area once more and found nothing but plant life surrounding him. He finally let go of air caught in his lungs. _Maybe I was just being paranoid? Maybe... But something just doesn't feel right..._

The Halcandran almost turned to go when he noticed something odd about the tree in front of him. Part of it seemed to be a shade of black, and a thick, ashy stench lingered in the air around it. He went to its other side and found a strange symbol burned into the bark. It was unlike anything he had seen before. As a whole, it appeared to be the letter "M," but after studying it closer, the letter seemed to be impaled by a sword. Magolor had not run across this symbol before, but something about it made him feel... interested? Dread?

"MAGOLOR! Get your furry ass back inside right now!"

A very displeased Marx was standing in his doorway, gritting his teeth and barely containing his rage. Magolor was jolted out of his thoughts and hurried back to the house. The jester glared daggers at him the entire time and kicked the door shut behind him. Surprisingly, he chose to lock it this time. Marx glanced through the windows several times in a frantic manner before addressing his guest.

"What the hell were you thinking? Did I not tell you about it being dangerous outside in the dark?! Do you know who prowls around at night?! People you don't want to mess with, that's who!"

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't think-"

"Damn right, you didn't think! How can _anyone_ be this stupid?!"

Magolor was not sure how to respond. _He's right though. I got curious and I could have made a fatal mistake... But I'm not used to all this! I still don't know what I'm doing!_ He let his gaze drift to the floor, unwilling to meet his companion's eyes. He began to wring his hands together nervously, trying to think of something to say and finding no excuse to appease Marx's anger. Thankfully, he did not have to. Marx sighed, still looking irritated though noticeably less deadly.

"Alright, alright. Don't make that sad puppy face anymore. I've never met anyone who didn't know all the basics so I assumed you knew what was what. Just remember to never go out until the sun is **completely up.** Not a single tiny ray over the hills, got it?"

"B-but... why? Why is it so terrible to be out when the sun isn't up?"

Marx adopted a thoughtful yet worried expression and rocked on his heels a bit. He cast one more glance out the window and then took a seat in the sitting area. The jester waited for Magolor to do the same and took a deep breath.

"Alright... Where to begin? Um... Oh! Okay, I got it! Have you ever heard of a **knight** before?"

The question clearly baffled Magolor.

"Uh, do you mean like 'stars out at night' or something else?"

Marx groaned and muttered a string of expletives under his breath that Magolor was not familiar with.

"No. I mean a k-n-i-g-h-t. It's a person. People? Whatever. Yeah, they're whatevers. I'll put this in simple common words that you will understand. Knights are very, very bad. They wear tons of armor, carry big weapons, and hurt people that get in their way. Do you follow me so far?"

The Halcandran frowned, but nodded slowly. _I hope I don't meet any knights while I'm traveling..._

"I can tell what you're thinking. You might see the occasional knight during the day, but they are weaker ones that usually don't cause too much trouble. As long as you don't make eye contact or talk to them, you should be fine. What you have to watch out for are the tougher ones that show up as it gets later. You know the old saying: 'The freaks come out at night?' That's pretty much what happens. Now, since you're destination is King Dedede's castle, your chances of meeting one of these super bad knights is ridiculously high, especially since this is your first time out. Knights might want to talk to you, ask questions, maybe try to recruit you. Don't buy into any trash they give you, okay? Give them fake names, stories, whatever you have to do to end the conversation. You don't want your name getting back to their leader, the worst of the worst."

Marx's dark tone sent a shiver down Magolor's spine, and his ears were pinned back.

"W-who is their leader?"

" _The worst of the worst._ A cruel, heartless, cunning, scumbag called **Meta Knight**. Normal and charming on the outside, completely wicked on the inside. Damn, the stories I've heard... If you think I'm crazy, you haven't seen anything yet! This guy doesn't mess around. If you get on his bad side, consider yourself dead already. Because nothing you do can save you; your ass is done for! And the rumors! I've heard tons of crazy stuff on this guy! I heard not too long ago that the king is in the dark about what he does. He goes to the castle all the time, I hear. Comes and goes as he pleases. Poor king, blissfully unaware that he shares a roof with a killing machine. It wouldn't surprise me at all if we woke up one day with that creep on the throne and the king rotting in the dungeon!"

"I-I don't want to hear anymore..."

The jester began to slightly regret adding so many details. Magolor felt sick to his stomach. He clutched his abdomen and stared at the floor, wishing he could just disappear and not process the new information. However, the realization that his journey was even more complicated than he originally thought was already setting in. The warnings of the Lor Starcutter were coming back to bite him now. He wanted freedom and information so badly he threw his only security away to get it. The ship had been right. _I can't do this. I'm going to die out here._

"Hey, hey, hey... Are you okay, Mag? You look like you're about to be sick. Damn, I don't have a bucket with me. Do I need to roll you over to the toilet? I'll try not to kick you too hard."

His joke was met with a humorless chuckle. Marx frowned, unsure of what to do. He was only telling Magolor the truth. If he could not handle it, he did not need to be out on the road anyway. It seemed like a solid statement to Marx, and he almost said it when he recalled that Mag had nowhere to go. No family or friends to crash with. The jester briefly considered letting him stay here, but quickly dismissed it. The tiny house did not have much room, and renovations would take time and resources, not to mention attract attention. _Nope, nope, nope. He's got to go. No other options. If he can travel fast enough and not get caught, he should make it. He could. But with no experience? He's doomed!_

He glanced at the despairing Halcandran, still lost in his thoughts. _There's still a chance he'll make it. I mean, a weird limbless cat with no family history and a sentient space ship on a planet with mostly boring people and minimum technology... That has to mean something! Something big, just like in the books I read._ It occurred to Marx that he was getting too invested in the life of a stranger who would likely be dead soon. He learned long ago that having friendships in Dreamland was fairly pointless. Yet, he thought it was nice to act friendly with someone again, telling jokes and stories to pass time and earn a laugh or smile.

Marx practically jumped out of his chair, startling his companion. He wore a look of renewed determination and perhaps even hope.

"Yeah, knights are big, bad, and scary, but you know what? We can do that, too! Screw them! You're getting to that castle, and that's that!"

He ran to the opposite side of the house and returned with a small, worn satchel.

"Take that. I'll give you a map and some food. Then, you're going to get out of my house and follow the map, got it?"

Magolor was struggling to keep up with what was happening and carefully picked the bag up off of the floor. The brown bag was a bit worn but still usable.

"I don't understand... I mean, I really appreciate it, Marx, but I don't think I can do this..."

"Blah, blah. Don't give me those excuses! Of course you can do it! You know why? I'm rooting for you, that's why! You have to get out there, and you have to live! You're never going to get answers sitting in that chair... feeling sad and alone... So you have to get to the castle and find a safe place to go!"

"But you said that knight stayed at the castle..."

"So what? Bash his skull in with your briefcase! Make him rue the day he messed with the Magnificent Magoroo!"

"Where is this enthusiasm coming from?"

"Holy Spaghetti! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Magolor finally managed a smile as Marx found a pen and a map of Popstar. The jester began listing off paths and resting points which Magolor hastily drew and marked. He also accepted two days-worth of food to carry with him, which should last until he reached another area where food was available. The sun was above the trees now, signaling safer travels for the creatures of Popstar. Marx practically shoved the briefcase into his hand and pushed Magolor out of the house and back onto the well worn dirt path that he started on. Surprisingly, the jester stayed with Magolor until they reached an abnormally large apple tree in the forest. He looked up at it in awe, transfixed by its size powerful aura.

"Wow... This tree is amazing!"

As if responding to his words, a branch above him shook, dropping a perfectly shaped apple right into his hands. Marx watched his delighted reaction and chuckled.

"Of course he's amazing. This is Wispy Woods. He's like a guardian of sorts, but everyone just calls them a **boss**. He takes care of the forest. Each area that you go into has someone like that. They're helpful for travelers as long as you don't cause them any trouble. If you see a boss, it means that you are at the end of an area and about to enter the next one. They'll point you in the right direction if you ask nicely. I... I think that's all the information you need so... um... I guess this is-wHOA What's that?!"

Magolor followed Marx's gaze to the other side of the tree. A bright light was radiating off either side of the massive trunk. A sense of familiarity washed over him as he approached the source of the light. The star object that he assumed was gone for good appeared to have been waiting here the whole time. Magolor sighed with relief that he had not lost it and wondered if he could learn to use it to travel faster. Meanwhile, Marx was staring at the object open-mouthed, a million thoughts and ideas running through his head.

"Is... Is that yours?! You have a Warp Star?! A real Warp Star?!"

"Warp Star? Is it something special?"

"Special?! Try legendary! These things are beyond rare! The stuff of folklore! You can hop from place to place on these things. Even fly around through space free of harm!"

 _Why would the Lor have something like this, hide it, and then give it to me? It's perfect for what I plan to do, but something just doesn't sit right._ Marx cleared his throat, getting Magolor's attention.

"Well, since you're good to go, I guess this is goodbye... There's something you have to do for me, okay?"

One of Magolor's ears drooped, and his head cocked slightly to the side. After receiving so much help, it was only right to return a favor.

"Sure. What is it?"

"Just make sure you get where you want to go, okay? And let me know you're still alive when you do. I uh... don't keep many friends, so I'd like to keep tabs on one. Come back whenever or send me a sappy letter or something. Just... get what you want. For the people who really can't."

He had not expected anything heartfelt from Marx, and for a moment he was speechless. Eventually, he put on a brave smile and nodded.

"I'll keep you up-to-date. I promise. Thank you so much for your help, Marx. It means a lot to me that you believe in me. I won't let you down! After I find somewhere to live, I'll let you crash at my place this time, and I'll tell you everything I did. You're my first friend, and I won't disappoint you. Let's always be friends, Marx!"

Magolor waved to the jester as he jumped onto the Warp Star and held on tight this time. Marx watched as it shook vigorously before blasting off into the sky, taking the Halcandran to another part of Popstar. He sighed, knowing the rest was up to Magolor. He just hoped that pep talk would be enough to get him through the journey to the castle.

Marx walked slowly back to his house, occasionally glaring and a passing Dee or Doo to keep them away. Now that Magolor was gone, he was a bit reluctant to return to his empty house and voiceless books. Perhaps he could pass time by searching for things that Magolor had mentioned. Though he did not recall ever seeing mention of sentient ships or Halcandrans. In his distracted state, he almost missed the burn marks on the tree in front of his house. It took less than a second for the symbol to register in his mind, instantly setting it ablaze with horror. _Now it's my turn to be sick._

He turned swiftly on his heel, darting back into the forest to Wispy's area. He called out Magolor's name in vain, hoping that he would somehow hear it and come back. The roots of the great tree shifted, sensing his growing distress. Barely keeping his composure, Marx responded:

"He was here... Nonononono... He's not going to... Already to late!

MAGOLOR! MAGOLOR, COME BACK! PLEASE!"

 _Before it's too late..._

 _Don't die..._

 _You promised me..._

 _Please...  
_

_**STAGE 2 CASTLE LOLOLO**_


	5. Chapter 4: Stage Two- Castle Lololo

Great.

Wrong door.

Again.

Magolor sighed with frustration and brushed off his loose cloak, now showing clear signs of wear and tear. _Finding my way around this place is harder than I thought. Marx was right about getting lost easily in this place._

Castle Lololo was proving to be much more of a challenge for Magolor than the forest. The small fortress was practically a labyrinth inside, filled with hidden passages and doorways that lead to traps and dead ends. However, the building itself was quite interesting. Large arches that gave way to open balconies, decorated pillars standing in every hall, fun checkered patterns painted on the walls with care, and there were even rooms filled with crystal clear water. Magolor did his best to avoid these rooms, given that he did not know how to swim and doubted he had the ability to do so. The Halcandran had a few close calls with the residence, though many regarded him as a minor annoyance and ignored his presence entirely. Most of the creatures in the castle appeared to work there, sweeping the floors absently and bumping into him without watching where they were going. The only creatures he recognized were the ever-present Gordos that wandered throughout the castle, probably acting as guards. The spiked spheres watched his every move carefully, as if waiting for a reason to attack. Magolor made sure to give them plenty of space. He gave one of them a friendly wave to show his good intentions, but he quickly realized his error when it glared back him, specifically his hands.

He wandered aimlessly for a while, eventually getting to the roof of the castle. Magolor paused to take a break, taking in the spectacular view. After being dropped off at the entrance of the castle by the Warp Star, he had somehow failed to notice that the structure was built right next to the ocean, which was beginning to turn orange as the sun set. _Did I really spend all day getting lost in here?_ From this point on, there appeared to be nothing but water speckled with small islands. After closer inspection though, there did seem to be a mountainous region somewhere to the west, but it was quite far from the castle. He vainly hoped to spot Castle Dedede, but had no such luck. Magolor turned around to look behind him, looking back at the forested region he left behind. More mountains blocked his view. He thought that perhaps he could see Marx's house from this height and felt a bit disappointed. The jester's encouragement resurfaced, and Magolor put on a confident smile. _I'll have to repay him someday. His advice got me through this death trap, so I guess I owe him one._ He turned back towards the only doorway left, tightened his grip on his suitcase, and entered.

Had he watched the forest a little longer, he would have noticed a trail of smoke rising far in the distance, a black cloud slowly forming in the cheerful skies of Dreamland.

-

He waited patiently for the flames to die, watching the little cottage blacken and eventually start to crumble. The heat went straight through his armor, but he did not care. After a few moments of eerie silence, he entered the charred dwelling, eyes bright and eager to catch movement. Unfortunately, not much survived the fire. All the furniture was ruined and strangely barren. No food was in storage, no clothes were put away, and the bookshelf was clearly missing a few volumes. The inhabitant took whatever they could and left in a hurry. _How disappointing. I was hoping to do this the easy way._

Though his original plans now needed some fine tuning, Meta Knight was not overly concerned by the jester's escape. Part of him had expected the freak to get away despite his carefulness. He was more capable than he looked. Finding him would not be difficult, but the knight thought that shifting his focus for now would be equally effective. After all, he did not want the jester, just information on the strange new anomaly that was quickly making its way through Dreamland. Word of a new presence on Popstar traveled fast, but it always reached Meta Knight first. His informants near Wispy Woods ran to him in a daze, claiming to have seen a strange new species of cat flailing helplessly in the woods and talking to the jester. Normally, they would receive the harshest of punishments for telling such tales, but when they mentioned hearing the roar of a strange but powerful engine in the sky, it got Meta Knight's attention. Popstar tended to have limited technology or none at all depending on location. He took to the skies, searching for signs of a vessel and found it rather easily. Almost exactly in the middle of Popstar, there were imprints in the dirt. The lack of grass in that area indicated that something had been sitting there for an extended period of time. Strangely, the impressions resembled that of a boat, not a star ship. Yet, whatever was there was long gone without a trace. The only clue to its identity and origins lie within this newcomer. _What could they be? A tourist? An invader? A warrior? Popstar isn't a popular sight for tourists, though it does tend to draw in trouble._

The Puffball's lungs began to ache, demanding to seek fresh air away from the smoke and ash. Meta Knight left the burned cottage behind and proceeded to stroll leisurely through the forest. The clank of his armor rang like bells of death to the natives, scattering them as far from his path as possible. None dared to cross the knight. To do so was completely out of the question. This fact brought a smile beneath that sliver mask. To be so unquestioned, unbeatable, **powerful,** was invigorating! There were times when Meta Knight felt concerned for feeling this way. Why should destruction make him shiver? Why should fearful eyes excite him so much? He was not concerned enough to stop it. No, the point of no return was long gone.

Meta Knight had plans for Dreamland and everyone on it.

No stranger was going to stand in his way.

-

Magolor's gaze quickly traveled upward, trying to make sense of the strange tiered room. Each level of the room had a door on each side, though he could not see anything beyond them.

"Hello? Is anyone here? I'm just passing through, and I was hoping to get some directions and maybe a place to spend the night if it isn't too much trouble. Hello?!"

At first, his called were not answered. The sound of dragging wood caught his attention, and Magolor tracked it to the left door on the level above him. He jumped up to meet it, almost hitting his head on a large wooden crate. An embarrassing yelp escaped his throat, and a small blue creature ran out from behind the box.

"Whoa, sorry! I didn't mean to scare you. Are you okay? I didn't hit you, did I?"

"N-no. You just surprised me a bit. Who are you?"

The creature was close to his size, though he had hands and feet. His eyes were big and bright, smiling brighter than a mouth probably could.

"I am Lololo. This castle belongs to my sister Lalala and me. I'm assuming you're a traveler, right? Heading to the king's banquet? We have helped quite a few travelers heading that way, too. You are the only loner, though. Did you lose a friend on the way?"

"That's... accurate. But yes, I am trying to get the the castle. I need the quickest and easiest way to get there."

"A beginner, huh? Well, don't worry too much. We know the perfect path for you to take. You see, the lands can be pretty dangerous, especially in the dark. However, you can skip the deserts and mountainous terrain easily by going right over them! Wait right here. My sister can explain it better than I can."

"Thank you! I really appreciate this."

Magolor was immensely relieved by Lololo's kindness. The news that his journey to the king could be simplified for him was even better. Soon enough, Lololo returned with his sister, whom looked just like him except for having pink skin and a cute orange bow on her head. The three sat down on the floor and began plotting a course on a piece of thick paper. Magolor saw the shape of Popstar for the first time as Lalala drew it out and began labeling destinations. She explained each point to him in a gentle voice that almost embodied comfort itself.

"From the castle, you will need to cross through the Float Islands. As you follow the beach outside the castle, the land beaks up into a bunch of little islands. Sometimes the gaps between the bits of land are too much for a normal jump, so swimming for flying will be necessary. It gives way to ocean eventually, so you can either use a boat or go underground. It's faster to enter a cave. Just avoid the spikes and dead ends, and you should be okay. Once you reach the exit, you can use our boat to reach our friend who can send you up to Bubbly Clouds. You can actually walk on the clouds! Amazing, right?! You can walk right over those nasty obstacles and relax in the skies! In some places, you are high enough to see the stars! It's the perfect place to take someone special! After you reach the guardians, Kracko Jr, and Kracko, you will be right on top of the mountain King Dedede lives on! See? It's easy!"

 _This... doesn't sound very simplified..._ Magolor was not so sure about this route. He did not know if he could fly, he probably could not swim, and the Warp Star always left him behind so he could not ride that. _Can I navigate caves? Cloud worlds? Falling from the frickin' sky onto a mountain?! Oh, this isn't what I had in mind at all!_

"I... um... I appreciate this, really I do! I'm just not so sure if it is the best way for me..."

Lololo exchanged a concerned look with his sister.

"Well, you could go through the desert and climb the mountain, but that's a bit much for a novice without help. I know this isn't the straightest path, but the islands and caves give you more opportunities for things like food and water. Plus, Kracko takes good care to his clouds. You shouldn't run into many conflicts there. Out in the desert, people fight over resources all the time."

Lalala shivered and chimed in immediately after her brother:

"Besides all that, knights patrol the entrances of the castle all day and night! If you approach from the wrong entrance, they might just snatch you up! I don't know why, but the king trusts them and lets them stay there all the time. Surely you've heard the awful rumors about the knights! They pick on poor exhausted travelers, snatch them up, and nobody ever sees them again!"

This second warning made Magolor's fear resurface. _This is exactly like what Marx told me... It must be worse than I thought. What would such a nice king want with guys like that?_ Magolor was about to voice his thoughts when Lololo shook his head at his sibling.

"That's not the worst thing I heard. It's just a rumor, but I heard that they don't kill the people they catch. Some wandering Waddle Dees told me that any soul unfortunate enough to get caught has to join their cause and work for Meta Knight himself... I think that would be way scarier than dying. Have you seen that guy? He's **super creepy**. I'm glad we work here and not at the main castle. I'd quit before day one started!"

"Hush, Lololo! You're going to scare him!"

Lalala had noticed Magolor's growing anxiety and gave him a comforting pat on the back.

"Don't let my silly brother get to you. Just stick to this path, and you will be okay."

The siblings felt a bit guilty about frightening Magolor and quickly let the subject drop. The two lead him through their labyrinth and into a guest room on the top floor. They ate dinner with him and showed him around the castle. In an attempt to put his mind at ease, Lalala gave Magolor a red and white parasol as a parting gift. She insisted that the object was a good weapon and could be used to float safely down to the castle from the cloud world. When that last rays of light vanished, they escorted Magolor to his room and allowed him to rest. The Halcandran curled up tight in the blankets, unsure whether or not to feel safe in the castle. Too many thoughts and ideas bounced around in his might, constructing the worst scenarios that could possibly happen during his journey.


	6. Chapter 5: Stage Three- Float Islands

There were voices calling for help.

The air reeked of spilled oil and something metallic.

Everything was red and grey yet unclear.

A familiar voice urged him forward desperately.

They left the redness and hid somewhere silver and blue.

An engine started, and darkness resumed.

Magolor opened his eyes, expected the undefined colors and shapes of his dream rather than the guest room ceiling. He slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. _These dreams are getting weirder and weirder. Maybe all this worrying is messing with my head..._ He shook himself out of his daze, fluffing up his short brown fur and proceeded to get cleaned and dressed. He frowned when he spotted several tears and small holes forming on the edges of his cape. _Yeesh. At least this journey is almost over. I need to get new clothes._ Once he was ready, Magolor sat down again, suitcase in hand. His thumbs absently toyed with the buttons that locked it, flipping from number to number. He was not sure if he would ever see what was inside, seeing as the only one with information on it was the Lor Starcutter. Perhaps he could seek a locksmith when he got to the castle.

There was a knock on the door, and a Broom Hatter servant let themselves in to inform him that breakfast would be served soon. Magolor followed eagerly, knowing that it may be a while before he had a good meal again. The small servant easily leads him through the endless halls to a large room filled with tables already served and occupied by other inhabitants. Lololo and Lalala waved him over, and they all ate together. They were careful with their words and overly cheerful, probably trying to make up for freaking him out the night before. Pretending their conversation about dangerous knights did not happen was just fine with Magolor.

He lingered and prolonged as much as possible, but breakfast eventually ended, and it was time for Magolor to head to the beach. Lalala reiterated her previous instructions to get to the king's castle while Lololo gave Magolor some extra food for his bag. With a suitcase in one hand and a parasol in the other, the Halcandran mentally prepared himself for the next big step of his journey, the step that would take him straight to his goal. _Soon enough... I can find a home and start looking for answers._ The two hosts surprised him with warm hugs and wished him good luck. Magolor smiled and expressed his gratitude before two Broom Hatter servants lead him to the castle's exit. He hesitated there until a servant impatiently gave him a nudge with their broom stick. Taking a breath to collect himself, Magolor headed towards the beach.

Seeing the ocean from the top of the fortress was one thing, but it felt entirely different up close. It was beautiful, of course, but also intimidating. There were so many new things to take in: tall trees baring large round objects he supposed were fruit, an uncountable number of islands, and a strange type of dusty soil surrounding the islands and the beach. He approached the terrain with care and tried to touch it. Magolor watched in fascination as his hand sank through it with ease and slid between his fingers when he tried to pick it up. It dawned on him that he had seen pictures of this substance before. It was called "sand." He could not find the willpower to stop playing with it until he realized how uncomfortable it was inside his gloves. _Ugh... That feels awful. How did it get in my clothes already? Is it in my face, too?! Dang it, I'm wasting time! No more messing around._ Magolor hastily dusted himself off and proceeded to the first patch of land. However, upon leaving the grass, he almost immediately sank into the ground. _I guess hovering over something this unstable isn't very easy._ He picked himself up and launched himself up and over onto the first island. After an unsteady landing, he followed an almost straight path across the ocean, hopping from one land mass to another.

It did not take long for Magolor to realize that something was wrong. **There was no one around.** No inhabitants, wild creatures, not even fish in the water close by. The only sound was the crashing of the waves and salty sea breeze in his ears. _Are they hiding from me... or something else?_ Rather than finding out, Magolor hurried forward, looking for openings in the ground that would lead him under the islands. He was briefly startled by the explosive fruits that fell from the trees, but Lalala'a parasol protected him from getting hurt. Thankfully, he soon found an opening straight ahead. He peered into the darkness for only a moment for going in, as a creeping sensation crawled up his spine. _If something is after me, I might be able to lose them in here._

The cave was dark and humid, but Magolor assumed that it would be the least of his problems. There was no straight path to follow, only a sudden drop down deeper into the chasm. With no other choice, he allowed himself to float gently to the bottom. Strange wooden creatures hastily vanished in his presence, sometimes reappearing to attack. With the metal suitcase and sturdy parasol, such enemies posed little worry. He took note of the stalactites hang above him, meaning he would have to be careful when he jumped to a higher spot. The Halcandran slowly made his way through the small passageways, avoiding enemies, explosive fruit things, and the ever present Gordos. Magolor's heart swelled when he found what appeared to be an exit. _Already? Wow, that was easy! Now I just need to find that boat and get to Bubbly Clouds. I'm almost there!_ With a burst of energy and big grin on his face, he flew through the doorway that lead to freedom. However, sand and blue sky did not await him.

When Magolor got to the other side, he fell. He glimpsed the rocky walls of yet another chamber of the cave before he hit the water. Icy liquid seeped through his thin robes almost immediately. In a panic, he tried to take in some air only to have water burn his throat. _What should I do?! I'm sinking! How do I swim?!_ He dropped his belongings and attempted to claw his way to the surface, only to find himself sinking faster. His aching lungs could wait no longer, and Magolor gasped in an attempt to receive precious oxygen. The sea water burned his insides worse than any fire or poison he thought possible. His heart hammered in his chest as he struggled, salty tears mixing with the sea as he finally reached the bottom. _No! I was so close! I can't die yet! Not yet!_ With fading strength, he felt his way along the cave floor, desperately hoping for an escape. Something grabbed the back of his scarf and heaved him upwards. He felt himself reach land, but his lungs were too full of water to take in air. Another spasm of pain wracked his body, before he stopped struggling. A far away voice asked him a question and shook him. He wanted to scream, cry, or do anything to express his fear and frustration. The pain began to fade, being replaced by the cold and a desire to sleep. _This is it. I failed... I won't get a home... I won't see Marx again... I'll never learn... the truth... about... me..._

-

Another paranoid glance into the forest. Nothing was there.

Marx berated himself for being jumpy and trudged forward, a scowl adorning his features. He could not afford a break if he wanted to catch up to Magolor. The jester was almost two days behind now, and his competition could fly faster than he could run. The burned bag on his back weighed him down, but he refused to stop and rest.

After seeing the symbol on the tree, he gathered his important stuff and left his home behind. A spare hat, food, and his priceless books that had taken him years to track down and get the money to purchase were all he took with him. He knew exactly what a burned "M" stood for, and he could not allow his collection to be destroyed. Of course, Marx had been forced to leave most of his heavy volumes behind for the madman's bonfire. It pained him to lose them, but sacrifices had to be made. Yep. He sacrificed his books to get to Magolor. _That ass-hat owes me big time. If he's alive. But of course he is! Stop it, Marx. He's out there. Probably doing something stupid._

Marx looked up at the mountain ranges ahead, weighing his options. He could go straight up to reach Castle Lololo quickly and ask about his friend, or he could follow along the base and go through the desert to reach the far side to the king's castle and hope that Magolor was there or close to it. Both had pros and cons. With a sigh, he sat down, the rim of his hat falling over his eyes. He jerked his head back to fix it to a comfortable position when he took notice of a Waddle Dee ahead of him. It was carefully making its way down the mountain, though it was not paying as much attention as it should have been. They slipped, sending them into a pit below. Marx thought little of it, got up, walked back a few paces, and came back. Once again, the same Waddle Dee was making its way down the mountain side. It hesitated this time but eventually continued the same way, chalking up its unease to imagination. Marx watched it fall a second time. On the third round, the Dee suddenly changed direction to avoid the area.

This was **continuing**. Marx had witnessed it (and experienced it) many times. Someone could die a hundred times and get another chance as long as they had the desire to keep going. Otherwise, they can **quit** and stay dead. Most people on Popstar were blissfully unaware of this. It would be like a bad daydream. It's no game, though. Repeating the same mistakes wastes time, and losing progress was beyond inconvenient. There were very few that understood this ability. Some simply understand it without being taught. Others learn from experience. Marx had known for a long time that he was different. As far back as he could remember, he had a feeling in his gut that told him that there was more to life than just wandering around aimlessly as so many here do. Those who did not fear a few deaths could find adventure, treasures, and magic! He sought these things feverishly, always eager to prove himself. Yes, Marx would prove that he could be strong. Not even death could stop him. A giggle escaped him as he lost himself in his thoughts. He wished Magolor was there to tell his thoughts to. It would be more fun that way.

A thought struck the jester like a brick to the cheek. _I didn't tell Magolor about continuing. What if he doesn't know? Who am I kidding? He doesn't know anything!_ Marx bolting from his spot in the grass and resumed his half-run half-jog to find Magolor. _Damn it, why didn't I say anything? What if he quits by accident? I gotta find him before he does something stupid and permanent!_ Without much thought, Marx began climbing up the mountain path. He could not take a chance at trying to meet Magolor. He needed to follow him just in case he needed help.

 _Please, let me find him before something dangerous does. Please. Is one friend too much to ask for?_

-

Magolor was surrounded by stars. The specs of light flashed around him in various colors. _Where am I? Where is the cave? D-did I die?_

"Hello? Is anyone there? Where am I?"

 _CONTINUE?_

"What? I don't understand."

 _YES OR NO_

"Huh? Y-yes! I want to live! Am I not dead?" 

_**YES**_ _OR NO_

Hot air pushed its way into his lungs followed by pressure on his chest. His thoughts were slow as consciousness resurfaced. Something pleasantly warm pressed against his face and more air was forced into his heavy body. Magolor groaned and began to cough up water, more than he thought his body could possibly hold. He closed his eyes again, focusing on breathing and nothing else. _Stars, I'll never take air for granted again..._

"Hm. Just when I was about to give up on you. You are very lucky that I happened to see you. Can you get up?"

"N-nuh... Not yet..."

"Well, at least you can talk. Can you move at all?"

Magolor opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. The first thing he saw was islands. Off in the distance was a wooden structure that looked a bit like the Lor Starcutter. _The boat... I'm out of the cave. Someone dragged me all the way through to the end!_ He soon realized that he had been placed on a smooth rock warmed by the sun. It felt heavenly on his cold, sore muscles. His bag, suitcase, and parasol were sitting not far away, damp but unharmed. He moved his hands and tried to turn towards his rescuer, but a hand immediately shoved him back into the rock.

"No, I'd rather you did not see who I am. Where are you going?"

In his light-headed state, Magolor thought little of the strange behavior. "B-bubbly Clouds?"

"I see. I assume you're taking the usual route. I can get you there quicker, if you like."

Magolor smiled and mumbled some incoherent thought that left as soon as it came. He was so exhausted, anything sounded just fine to him. The other laughed, a rather deep and enchanting sound. Magolor fell in and out of awareness as he was picked up and carried. He briefly felt the cold return as wind rushed in his ears, making him shiver. By the time the wind stopped, he felt more aware and focused. He gasped when he was suddenly dropped, more surprised by the softness of the ground than being dropped. _This looks... just like clouds? Are we actually standing on clouds?_

"Welcome to Bubbly Clouds. Now that we have that out of the way..."

There was a sliding of metal. Before Magolor could react, one gloved hand grasped the front of his clothes while another held a golden sword at his throat. One of them was shaking, but it was impossible to tell which, if not both. Magolor dared not to struggle, for fear of upsetting the assailant behind him.

"Listen carefully. I just saved your life and helped you out. You are in my debt now, yes? Normally I could think of plenty of tasks for you, but today I have something else in mind. I'm going to ask questions, and you are going to answer each and every one of them. Do you understand so far?"

Magolor nodded slowly as realization dawned on him. _This... This is a knight. This is definitely a knight, and I've been caught defenseless. What should I do? I don't want to give him the truth, but lying could have bad consequences._ The sharp metal at his neck made him nervous, causing him to twitch occasionally. _Maybe half of the truth can save my hide?_

"What is your name?"

"Uh... Mm... Ma... Mark."

"Why did you want to come here, Mark?"

"I'm traveling. I'm just going home."

"You live here?"

"Close to here."

"I've never seen your species before. Where did you come from?"

"Central Popstar."

Magolor's monotonous answers did not satisfy his captor, who tightened his hold on him. "I think you are lying to me. I don't like hearing lies, Mark. Start telling the truth."

"I am telling the truth! I've been lost for... a while. I finally found the right directions, but I got into trouble in the caves."

"Where exactly are you headed?"

"The...um..."

He hesitated too long. Magolor did not have a good excuse ready. He was about to let the truth out when a youth voice called out from somewhere ahead.

"Daddy! Hello? There you are!"

Out of the clouds came a little pink creature with bright blue eyes and a big grin. He had a round body and feet like Marx, though he also had stubby hands. The child eyed Magolor with excitement and wonder.

"Whoa... Who is this? Tell me now!"

The child did not wait for answer, and grabbed both Magolor's hands and easily pulled him out of the death hold. The small boy ran a small circle around the Halcandran, occasionally tugging at his cape or scarf.

The knight whom Magolor was still too frightened to look at clarified, "This is Mark. Don't touch him, Kirby. You don't know where he's been."

Kirby hardly payed him any mind, too busy petting on Magolor. "He looks like a kitty... Can I have him? Please, please, pretty please? I'll feed him and play with him every day! I promise!"

Magolor's obvious protests were cut off by another dangerous chuckle. "That's... quite convenient. Sure. He's all yours... unless Mark wants to object."

The tip of the sword pressed against his back, making Magolor's insides turn to jelly. Any objections died, and he shook his head quickly.

"N-no, not at all. N-nice to meet you, Kirby."

Kirby squealed with delight and hugged his forced companion. The little puff grabbed his hand and began leading him through Bubbly Clouds with the knight watching from behind. Magolor finally dared to look back, catching a few glimpses of a intimidating mask, yellow eyes, an elegant cape, and his belongings being carried in gloved hands. He released a heavy sigh, now both mentally and physically exhausted. The endless warnings and pep-talks had prepared him for a possible fight but definitely not getting kidnapped by children. _At least I'm at Bubbly Clouds. We'll be right above the castle soon. If I time it right, I might be able to grab my stuff and make a break for it. Then I can get help... I sure do need it._


	7. Chapter 6: Stage Four- Bubbly Clouds

**STAGE 4: BUBBLY CLOUDS**

"-and after that, I'll show you my favorite place to pick apples, and after that we'll take a nap, and after that we can play in the courtyard, and after that-"

Magolor nodded occasionally, playing along while simultaneously keeping a look out for the best place to make a run for it. So far their tense stroll through Bubbly Clouds yielded few opportunities. If he rushed, Kirby would drag him back to his own stride. If he slowed down, he was poked with the tip of the knight's sword just hard enough to cause pain. The Halcandran had few options other than calmly listening to Kirby talk about Castle Dedede. Thankfully, he dished out plenty of useful information. The castle was even larger than that of Lololo and Lalala. There would be plenty of chances there to hide or seek help. _Okay, I can do this. I just have to play along for a while. If they can get me to the castle without dealing with knights or enemies myself, I suppose I can't complain too much._ Magolor continued to listen to the excited puff talk and decided to get as much information out of him as possible without upsetting the knight behind him.

"-and I know we're going to have tons of fun, Mark! You're with us now, so we can do whatever we want! As long as we don't raid the fridge too often or break curfew."

"That sounds swell, but why exactly is there a curfew? Surely someone as tough as you doesn't have anything to worry about."

Kirby grinned wide at the compliment, but Meta Knight cleared his throat in a meaningful manner, and the smile vanished. He shrugged in response to Magolor's question, no longer looking as perky as before. _This is no good. I have to fix this fast!_

"So, since I'm going to the castle with you, Kirby, I'd like to know more about the king. It must be interesting to live with royalty."

The bright smile was back, accompanied by a look of triumph in his eyes. "You bet it's interesting! I'm sure you'll see him a lot so, you don't have to feel jealous. I know _everything_ the king! He's like a really big pillow and just as soft! He likes hugs, so be prepared. Anyway, he's okay with letting us run around the castle, but he doesn't like it if the servants get picked on... but Daddy doesn't have to listen, right?"

"My title is Meta Knight. Don't forget that Kirby," the knight sternly corrected. He tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle that made Magolor's skin crawl. "You can do whatever you like, Kirby. Never mind the king... **He won't be in charge much longer**."

The emphasis of that last remark made Magolor worry. "Oh, is the king old? Or perhaps ill?"

Magolor turned slightly to look at Meta Knight. He did not answer, but the knight trembled slightly while biting back another bout of laughter. _Bad sign. VERY bad sign. Is he... planning to kill the king? It sure sounds like it. Why? If the king suspects nothing, then why get rid of him? It doesn't make sense to get rid of an authority figure that can keep you out of trouble, and houses you. The king sounds like such a nice guy... He couldn't possibly deserve whatever this knight has in mind! I... I've got to tell someone. Who could stop him, though? Who's strong enough?_ Magolor was so caught up in his thoughts that he did not notice the change in their surroundings. Thin marble structures rose from the clouds beneath them. Just ahead of them were buildings of the same white material, decorated with flowing drapes and carefully sculpted columns. The location of this masterpiece baffled Magolor, unable to imagine how tons of metamorphic rock could sit perfectly on a floor of clouds. The others showed no surprise. _Is this just normal on Popstar? I guess I still have a lot to learn..._

Meta Knight drew his sword as they entered to building. Kirby began to drag Magolor behind the knight, clearly anticipating something. The Halcandran would have asked if it had not shown up a second later. From a large draped window flew in a strange creature with a single eye surrounded by what looked like tiny clouds. The creature shrieked and glared at them, clearly unhappy at their presence. All three ducked down as it began to attack, sending a barrage of explosives at an incredible pace. Meta Knight tossed Magolor his belongings and charged into the fight. There was just enough time to shield himself and Kirby from an incoming bomb with the parasol. Kirby wasted no time in joining the fight, demonstrating a... rather unusual ability. The little puff dived straight at a bomb and **inhaled it**. He held it in his mouth briefly before spitting it back at his opponent. Magolor froze in disbelief, which seemed to please Kirby. He quickly snapped himself out of his daze, and all three began working together. Kirby attacked it in the air, Meta Knight slashed at it when it dove at them, and Magolor flew about destroying the explosives before anyone got hurt. They fell into a rhythm, chipping away at their foes health until its protective clouds dispersed. With another angry screech, the eye flew off into the sky, leaving the three tired but victorious.

Magolor sighed with relief while Kirby cheered with joy. Meta Knight was quick to silence them both.

"Don't celebrated so soon. That was only the small one. That means Kracko is not far away. They are the guardians here, and they do not like trespassers. Expect another fight."

Kirby nodded in agreement, but Magolor seemed less sure. "Why don't we just explain the situation? After all, we're just passing through. The other guardians I've met have been very reasonable. I'm sure this Kracko will understand."

"I don't want to waste time-"

Meta Knight was cut off by another shriek. It was deeper and sounded more dangerous than the previous encounter. The cloud guardian, Kracko, emerged where the other had fled. It flexed its spikes, agitated by the intruders and defeat of its kin. Meta Knight prepared himself to strike at the beast when Magolor approached first, not so eager for another battle.

"W-wait! Just wait a moment! We didn't come here to fight! We're just trying to leave! If you're anything like the other guardians, surely you understand that! We'll get out of your way. We just need to get to the king's castle!"

Kracko focused its eye on the Halcandran, silently judging his words and searching for signs of deceit or malice. It only sensed Magolor's fear and desperation to continue his personal quest. The boss seemed to calm down, slightly retracting its spikes. Kirby watched in fascination, amazed that his new kitty could so easily tame such a foe. Kracko moved to the side of the room, allowing them to pass. Magolor smiled and sighed with relief. _Thank goodness... I've had enough violence for one day._

Magolor gathered his things _,_ ready to get back to the ground where he belonged. A horrific scream forced him to turn around. Sword held proudly, Meta Knight had struck the guardian right in the eye. Just as it was about to retaliate, he struck it again. Its screams tore at Magolor's heart and inspired rage. He thrust his things into a silent Kirby's arm and charged forward. Without much thought, he grabbed onto Meta Knight's arm and tried to pull him away from the guardian.

"STOP! It was going to let us go! Don't hurt it!"

He successfully dragged the knight a millimeter away before suffering the consequences of his actions. Meta Knight punched him square in the jaw, forcing his head back and at a painful angle. Stars danced in his vision, and the world slowed down as Magolor fought to concentrate. By the time he was able to stand, Kirby had joined the fight to end it quickly. Kracko was defeated, vanishing without a trace after a final merciless blow. Kirby looked back at Magolor with a worried expression, his pink face losing its color. Meta Knight turned abruptly and started a brisk pace towards Magolor, eyes barely concealing his rage. The pink puff tugged at his arm briefly and made a whining sound.

"Daddy, he didn't know! Don't break my kitty. I haven't even taken him home yet! Please calm down, Da- uh... Meta Knight. I'll teach him better. I promise! Please, I want to keep my kitty!"

Magolor held his breath as the knight finally stopped. In fact, no one seemed to breathe as they made eye contact. If something as simple as eye contact could kill, those glowing yellow orbs would have torn him to shreds. Meta Knight stared him down, glaring with anger and disgust before he headed towards the exit without a word. Magolor finally dared to breathe again, and Kirby handed over his case, bag, and parasol. The parasol was quite battered, and Magolor decided that it would be a good idea to leave it behind. Having his hands full was a hassle, not to mention unsafe. As they left the marble building behind, he set it up by the doorway and hurried towards Kirby. The child seemed disheartened but followed the knight's footsteps, Magolor hot on his trail.

Magolor's Warp Star was waiting for them ahead. Meta Knight seemed to shy away from its glow while Kirby stared at it in confusion, as if trying to remember something. Magolor did not like the idea of letting the others use it, but he doubted that he had a choice. _It's faster anyway. The sooner I can get away from them, the better... Ah, wait. I have to do something about the king..._

"Uh, we should be able to get the castle quickly using this. As far as I know, it should be strong enough to carry all of us."

Meta Knight merely nodded and grabbed onto one of the star's points. Kirby hopped onto the opposite side, followed by Magolor. As soon as the Halcandran had a decent hold, they shot downward through the clouds. Magolor closes his eyes automatically, before forcing himself to watch. Looking frightened and inexperienced would conflict with his previous lies about traveling and living nearby. From such an incredible height, Magolor got his first glimpse of several regions of Popstar. He saw the vast oceans dotted with islands, thick forests enclosed by mountain ranges, and even what looked like tons of sand. There was another area blanketed by something white, but he could not recall a word for it. _Wow... I've missed out on a lot. I wish Marx could see this. Then again, he's probably seen it all already._ It did not take long for the castle to come into view. The large structure was on a hill, surrounded by mountains. As they approached, Magolor could see tiny specks milling about, going in and out of the castle. The sun was beginning to descend, causing a growing shadow to appear behind the king's castle.

The Warp Star dropped them off at the main entrance past the draw bridge. Rather then disappearing as it had before, it shrank into Magolor's hand. He quickly tucked it into his bag, making a mental note to put it something safer later. Kirby ran inside to meet the king, gesturing for Magolor to follow.

"Mark, hurry! We're just in time for the banquet! Let's go before all the good food is gone!"

 _This is it. This is actually it. I actually made it all the way to the castle! Gosh, I half-expected that I would die before I got even close... Now if I can just get out of_ _ **this**_ _mess..._ Magolor moved forward, but was dragged back by his scarf.

Meta Knight harshly whispered in his ear, "I'll let you have your fun for now, but don't forget that you owe me a favor... plus another for getting in the way of a fight. If you want even the slightest chance of receiving an ounce of mercy, meet me in my quarters tomorrow morning. We will discuss a deal then."

He roughly pushed Magolor forward and skirted around him, heading into the deeper parts of the castle. The Halcandran took a shaky breath. That threat made my fur stand on end. He gave himself a quick shake before catching up to Kirby. _This food better be worth it..._


	8. Chapter 7: Final Stage

**FINAL STAGE: MT DEDEDE**

The castle was bustling with people coming to the grand banquet. Magolor felt slightly intimidated among so many people in an unfamiliar environment. The castle had been thoroughly cleaned for its many guests, who often waved to Magolor as he and Kirby passed. Waddle Dee servants observed Magolor with much curiosity, though they scattered when Kirby shooed them away. The Halcandran took in all the sights and sounds, mud brick walls and grateful chattering. Kirby guided him through long hallways and into the throne room where the festivities were taking place.

Long tables surrounded by chairs had been set up in front of the king's throne, overflowing with more food than Magolor had ever seen in his life. People of all shapes and sizes were scattered around the room, eating and happily chatting among themselves. At the head of the table was the king of Dreamland himself, King Dedede, talking with an elderly couple. The king was twice Magolor's size and garbed in luxurious red robes. There was a jolly gleam in his eyes as he talked. Magolor suddenly felt nervous to approach the king in his tattered, fading blue cloak. Kirby did not allow his kitty to back down, though. The pink puff waved to the king and proceeded to drag Magolor to him.

"Hey, Dedede! Look what I found! I brought someone to dinner!"

"Ah, that's wonderful, Kirby. Bring him over!"

 _This is it. This is_ _ **it**_ _. No turning back._ Kirby and Magolor stopped at the king's side, where Magolor hesitated to introduce himself. Dedede seemed to notice his internal struggle and opted to speak first and shaking his hand in welcome.

"It is nice to see a new face today. There is no need to be shy. Everyone is welcome here to eat and enjoy themselves! That is the purpose of hosting a banquet, after all. A king should always open his doors to his people. Now, who might you be, and what corner of Popstar did you come from?"

Kirby spoke next, unknowingly covering for Magolor who struggled to remember all his previous lies. "This is my new kitty, Mark! Daddy found him and saved him from drowning! He's going to live with me now."

The king clapped his hands together, clearly overjoyed. "That's wonderful! Seeing you and Meta Knight spread some kindness is a grand sight. Welcome to the family, Mark. Please, have a seat with us. You look nearly starved."

Kirby was equally overjoyed by the compliment and scurried off to fill a plate with food. Magolor was frozen where he stood, unsure what to do. Part of him wanted to take up the offer and indulge in being treated so kindly. However, the other louder part of him argued that there were more important things to take care of right then and there. If Meta Knight truly desired to kill the king, someone needed to know. Magolor sighed, knowing the latter option would be the best choice. It would be selfish to ignore such an issue.

Magolor sat down next to the king, ignoring the succulent scent of fresh food in front of him. _Where should I even begin... If he suspects nothing, he probably won't believe me. I'll just work my way up to it. Yeah, I'll start casual, and then get to the possible murder plot._ His thoughts were interrupted when the king gave him a concerned look.

"Are you not hungry, Mark? If you are feeling unwell, I can send you to our medical staff."

"N-no, I'm fine! I was... just wanting to talk to you." Magolor lowered his voice as he continued, "I didn't really want to talk about... personal business in front of Kirby."

There was a knowing look in the king's eye as he nodded slowly. "I understand. There's no need to upset the children, after all. What troubles brought you to the castle?"

"W-well... I recently lost my home, and I heard about this banquet, so I thought I could come here for help and maybe find some answers for my past. I sort of... got into some trouble along to way." Magolor pointedly glanced at Kirby, hoping the king might understand his predicament.

The king did not move a muscle. "What kind of trouble?"

Magolor lowered his voice down to a whisper. "I'm kind of here against my will right now. I was planning to run away, but then I heard about a plot to-"

Magolor paused when Kirby returned with a loaded plate and took a seat next to him. _Dang it! I was so close! He looked like he understood, too... Does this kind of thing happen a lot?_ The king went back to his cheerful self, covering their tense conversation to avoid Kirby's curiosity.

"Well, Mark. If you're looking for answers, I know someone who might be able to help. You see, we recently took in a strange fellow with amnesia that fell from the sky. Perhaps someone different like you could jog his memory."

It took Magolor a moment to catch up with the king's line of thought, and he quickly nodded. _It's okay. I'll just have to warn him later. Now that I have his attention, it should be easier, right? Anyway, finding some answers will be nice, too. A guy with amnesia, and me not knowing where I came from... Could there be a connection?_ Dedede waved over some Waddle Dees and told them to bring their guest out of hiding. They silently agreed and dashed down the nearest hall. Moments later, they returned with a creature Magolor was unfamiliar with.

The "strange fellow" was some sort of arachnid, having six unattached hands, fours eyes, and sharp fangs. White locks covered his head, only disturbed by horns on either side. The guest wore some sort of green suit and a yellow scarf with a beautiful pink flower sewn onto it. Magolor had never seen a creature like him during his travels. As soon as their eyes met, the stranger adopted a goofy grin of joy and eagerly approached. He shook Magolor's hands roughly, surprising him with a strong grip. His voice was deep and **loud**.

"Wow! Another new guy! Isn't that amazing? Hey there. I'm Taranza! It's nice to meet you. What's your name? Where are you from? I want to know everything about you! Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to get in your face like that. I just like meeting people!"

Magolor tried to put some distance between them, unsure how to respond to someone so... outgoing and energetic. Taranza could not seem to sit still. The king laughed, unable to hide his amusement at their opposing personalities.

"No need to be shy, Mark. Taranza will surely have something interesting to tell you. Kirby, why don't we give them some time to get acquainted? You can help me get some desserts from the kitchens."

Kirby's big blue eyes shined as he dashed off, followed by the king at a slower pace. Magolor understood that Dedede had given him another chance to spread the word without Kirby or Meta Knight involved and perhaps solve a now growing mystery.

Magolor straightened up and introduced himself. "Hello, Taranza. My... My name isn't really Mark, but we can get to that later. I have something very important for the king to know and it can't wait."

"I'm sure you have something important to tell him! You came here to get help, right? Like a job or a place to stay?"

"Well, yes, but something more important came up! I was brought here by Kirby and Meta Knight, and-"

Taranza flinched, looking rather nervous. "Oh. I get it. You want to get out, right? There's no easy way to do that."

"Well, **yes** , but there's something **else** that's really important." Magolor made his frustration clear in his words, knowing that Kirby or the knight could show up at any moment. "Meta Knight said something strange about the king not being around for much longer. I think he's planning to do something to King Dedede. I tried to tell him, but I didn't want Kirby reporting to Meta Knight. Do you think there is anything we can do to stop him?"

The spider stared at him as if the Halcandran had grown another head. " _Stop him?_ You think we could stop Meta Knight? Are you crazy?! Do you have any idea what would happen to us if he even knew those words left your mouth? We'd be in the dungeon forever! Or servants forever! **Maybe even dead forever!** "

Magolor tried to ignore the stab of worry growing in his heart. "I know he's kind of scary, but there has to be someone who can stop him. Isn't there something we can do? We can't let someone murder the king if we know in advance."

With a sigh of disappointment, Taranza shook his head. "Everyone is too afraid of Meta Knight to stand up to him. Anyone who tries to reason with him goes missing. Sometimes new people go missing anyway... especially his favorites. Look, I feel bad for you, but we're in the same boat apparently. I want to go home and so do you. If we try to leave, we'll probably never see the light of day again. If you really want to stop a guy like Meta Knight, we're going to need magic."

"Magic? You mean enchantments, potions, and such?"

Taranza nodded, now smiling again as he thought more about the possibility of freedom. "Yeah! Popstar is littered with special things, so the story goes. If we can find some powerful artifacts, we might actually be able to take him out and save the king! Maybe then I can go home... wherever that is..."

Magolor felt a wave of sympathy for Taranza, who was clearly dealing with some inner turmoil. _When did I get mixed up with so many problems other than mine? I guess that's what I get for trying to be nice in a world that doesn't want to be nice to anyone... He doesn't look familiar to me, and he doesn't seem to recognize me either. I guess the king's theory is busted. I think I found another ally, though._

"Um, Taranza? I'm sorry about what happened to you. I lost my home, too, and I've been trying to find a new home. If you're willing to help me with the king, I'll try to help you as well. My name is Magolor by the w-mmmph?!"

Magolor was silented by a bone-crushing hug as Taranza began to weep dramatically. Tears flowed freely as the spider sniffled and cuddled the suffocating Halcandran.

"T-t-t-thank you s-so much! No one has e-ever been so nice to me before! If you need anything, you tell me, okay?!"

 **"OXYGEN"**

It suddenly occurred to Taranza that Magolor needed to breathe and promptly dropped him. Magolor gasped for air, feeling broken but still somewhat accomplished. A new friend had been made, and a new goal was in sight that would solve all of his problems: stop Meta Knight's reign of terror.

-

After recovering, the two talked for a while and learned each other's story. Taranza had no memories of where he came from. Some Waddle Dees apparently saw him fall out of the clouds one day, unconscious and badly wounded from what looked like a terrible fight. He was taken to the castle, where he agreed to work until his memories returned or someone came looking for him. Meta Knight questioned him every chance he got, wanting to know where he came from and how he got here, which forced Taranza to spend half the day or more in hiding. The knight eventually dropped his hostility completely and put on a show of being friendly. He even surprised Taranza by offering him another job, vaguely mentioning that he was building something big and needed intelligent help. The newcomer nearly fell into the trap, but some of the castle's staff warned him that Meta Knight was bad news.

Magolor repeated his tale of being abandoned by his ship and traveling across Popstar at the advice of a friend. He shivered as he told of his strange near-death experience and being rescued by Meta Knight. When he mentioned how the knight wanted favors in return for his life, Taranza's face lost some color, though Magolor did not notice.

"Wow, that's quite a story. You've been through a lot. But we've got each other now! We'll get through this, no doubt! The king has a huge library, so we can research the nearest artifacts and start planning a way to go get them. It would be great if we could ask the servants for help, but we wouldn't want to deal with spies. I guess it's up to the two of us to-"

"HEY YOU! THE ONE IN THE STUPID OUTFIT!"

Magolor froze, instantly recognizing that scratchy voice. They turn around to see Marx himself, roughed up but alive and wearing a vicious scowl. Other travelers fled out of his way as he limped towards Magolor. He glared at the Halcandran with tears in his eyes. Taranza looked at him in awe.

"Whoa... That's the jester that everyone talks about. The one who isn't afraid of anything. Hey, that's the guy from your story, right?"

Magolor did not answer him, but left his chair to meet Marx halfway. "Marx, I can't believe you're here. Did you come all this way by yourself to see me? You look terrible... Did you get hurt?"

"Bite me," the jester sneered. "If you turn this into something emotional, I'll never forgive you... Go get me something to eat. I haven't eaten since yesterday. Eating takes too much of my valuable time."

"Hehe... Alright. I missed you, too. You should sit with us."

Marx huffed and never lost his frown, but he gave into exhaustion and sat down in a chair next to Magolor. The jester let the rim of his now dirty hat fall over his eyes, wanting to hide from the stares of other people. _I can't believe I did this. I traveled half of Popstar on foot in two days or less for a clueless stranger._ He only looked up when a generous plate was put in front of him, only to find that Magolor had not placed it there. King Dedede had returned and quickly noticed the new guest, one with an infamous reputation. He smiled kindly and patted the jester on the head.

"Well, if it isn't Marx! I'm surprised, but glad, to see you at my banquet. And it seems you're already making friends as well! This is just wonderful!"

Marx flinched upon being touched, though it was impossible to tell from his blank expression how he felt. The jester numbly stared at the food before him, noting that the king had actually remembered that he did not need utensils. _No one's ever done something like that for me before..._ Magolor watched with fascination from a distance, wondering how someone as chaotic as Marx would react. Much to his surprise, the jester's look softened as he grabbed some fresh bread with his teeth and consumed it quickly. The king was satisfied that his guest was taken care of and went back to chatting with his people. Magolor could not help but to smile. His first friend and his new one were here with him when he needed them most. He joined them again after getting an assortment of food, sitting right next to Marx and across from Taranza. A mostly one-sided conversation, hosted by Taranza, showed no signs of slowing or changing as Magolor sat down.

"-but I'm pretty sure I landed on my head. That's what most people tell me after I talk to them for a while. What were we talking about again?"

Marx rolled his eyes and responded blandly, "I have absolutely no idea. I wasn't even listening for the most part."

"Wow... You looked like you were listening really well. Are you an actor or something?"

"Of a sort. I'm all about comedy if you can't tell from my dashing attire."

Taranza grinned and clapped some of his hands together. "Oh! Do you know any good jokes? Please, tell me one!"

Marx paused before developing the most devilish grin he could muster. "I'd be happy to!"

The jester proceeded to tell the dirtiest joke he could think of on the spot. Marx and Taranza were soon red in the face and laughing obnoxiously, though the crude humor went right over Magolor's head. This earned him some sympathetic looks. He started eating while they laughed and joked, trying to ignore the fact that people were avoiding them now. The Halcandran tried his best to pace himself after not having anything to eat since he met Meta Knight and Kirby. Never had food tasted so good. Fresh bread and hot soup did wonders for him. Eventually his companions calmed down and started to dig into their plates as well. The three did as the king intended, eating until they could no longer. Magolor relaxed in his chair and leaned back, wishing he could fall asleep there and pretend that nothing was wrong. A young voice that stiffened his spine prevented him from doing so.

"Mark! Are you finished? Let's go play now! Hurry, hurry!"

Kirby had returned, eager to play with his new pet. The little puff wore a stubborn expression, meaning another distraction may not spare him this time. Magolor looked to his friends for help. Taranza was awkwardly sipping at his drink and avoiding eye contact. Marx was staring at Kirby like the child had just announced a mass murder. Kirby took notice of the jester and stared back curiously.

"Who are you? You look funny... and dirty. If you make a mess, you better clean it up before Daddy gets mad!"

Marx snarled at him, "Lots of dangerous things look funny and dirty. Go mind your own business, puffy. Scram!"

He finished the statement with a hiss, drawing his lips back to reveal sharp fangs. Magolor swore that there was a tinge of fear in the jester's eyes. Kirby stumbled back, bottom lip trembling in his fright, and took a deep breath. Magolor thought that he would cry from being frightened. He left his seat and approached the boy to try to mend the situation, but Kirby unleashed a near deafening scream before he got the chance.

"DAAAAADDY!"

As the name was uttered, the liveliness in the room died. Any travelers left in the room fled before the storm hit, for fear of being caught in it. Waddle Dee servants ushered the king to safety, despite a brief protest. Taranza ducked down under the table just as Meta Knight entered the room, sword drawn. Cold golden eyes landed on Marx and Magolor, lingering on the latter. The knight strode confidently to Kirby's side, pausing only a moment before he spoke in a calm, collected manner.

"Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. **The lonely forest trash.** Read anything interesting lately?"

Marx huffed and jumped out of his seat, putting on a show of bravery. "What's wrong? Surprised that trash slipped under your psycho radar? You must be getting rusty."

Kirby spoke up before Meta Knight could retort. "He said mean things to me! And I didn't do anything wrong! **And** he sat in my spot next to _my_ new kitty!"

"Is that so? That won't do at all." The knight faced Marx again. "I don't know exactly what relations you have with Mark here, but they don't matter now. Kirby has made it perfectly clear where he belongs, and I am making it very clear now that no one wants _you_ here. **Things** like you don't belong anywhere. I'll only ask you nicely once to leave."

Marx paused for a moment, letting the meaning of all the words and Magolor's difficult position soak in. _So, he didn't actually make it to the castle. He was dragged in by this pompous dirt-eating windbag. This creep wants to make him a pet. Like hell am I letting that happen!_

"Thanks for the advice, pal, but I'm not leaving without my friend here. Finders keepers, you know? If you want to get technical, I have first dibs... and I'm not letting anyone else get dragged down by the likes of you. Not while I'm right here. I know all about how twisted you are, and you know how twisted I am... How about we settle this the Popstar way?"

The knight eyes gleamed with excitement. "A duel? With you? You don't stand a chance against me. I have much more battle experience than you, and I actually have a weapon."

Marx smirked right back as Magolor watched the exchange in silent horror. "Whaaat? Is the great, all powerful Meta Knight scared of losing? That sounds... That sounds just like... a **coward.** "

This was the magic word for Meta Knight. He charged forward, sword held high, ready to cut the jester in half. Marx nimbly dodged by jumping onto the table. In a swift motion, he kicked a glass of champagne into the knights face, giggling as he shivered with barely restrained anger. Magolor ducked under the tables where Taranza and Kirby now hid. _Oh, this is terrible! Meta Knight might kill Marx... and it will be all my fault. He only came here to find me..._ A hand tugging at his scarf dragged him away from his thoughts. Kirby was slowly making his way out of the room, and Taranza was pulling him in the same direction.

"We've got to leave before things get ugly, Magolor!"

"But what about Marx? He might get hurt!"

"If we stay too close, we'll all get hurt! Can't you see that he's buying us time? Let's go while that knight is busy. We can escape!"

The spider ignored Magolor's further protest and dragged him out from under the tables and through a doorway. He looked back for a last glance at his friend. Marx was holding his own, using his teeth to cling to Meta Knight's arm. The knight could not stab at him without risking his own limb in the process. _Keep it up. You can do this._

The fight echoed down the halls as Taranza tried to put some distance between them. They moved as quickly as they could, as if the enemy were breathing down their necks. The pink puff ahead of them opened a nearby door and closed it behind him. Taranza was about to pass it when Magolor suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Oh no. I forgot that Kirby took my things. He still has my case from the Lor and my Warp Star! I can't leave those behind!"

"B-but this is our chance to escape!"

"They're the only clues to my identity! Please, I need to get them back!"

Taranza began to wring a pair of his hands nervously, and the other pair finally let Magolor go. He would give anything for clues to his past and did not want to take that away from his new friend. The Halcandran immediately knocked on the door, praying for cooperation.

"Kirby! Please give me my things back!"

A small voice responded, "No! If you're leaving me, then leave!"

Magolor picked up on his hurt tone. "I-it's not about you, Kirby. I have important things to do, and I can't do them here. Please, I have to find out what's in that case and where it came from..."

The door opened just a crack, revealing a curious blue eye. "Can I see what's in it?"

Magolor nodded quickly. "Fine! If we can find a way to open it quickly, I'll let you see."

Taranza whined in protest as Kirby let them in. Kirby's room was surprisingly bare, having only a bed, wardrobe, and a box in the corner for a few toys. Magolor expected someone like Kirby to spoiled with nice things, given his behavior so far. The Halcandran spotted his things on the bed and grabbed the locked suitcase, turning it around to face the lock.

"Okay, the lock has four numbers on it and a button... so... um..."

He toyed with the numbers, rolling the pieces to make different combinations. Taranza was getting more agitated by the second.

"We don't have time to try every number! That knight could notice that we're missing at any moment. Can't we just break into it?"

Magolor hated the idea of trying to break it, but he also felt the pressure of time and reluctantly agreed. Each took turns throwing it, prying at it with objects, and even biting at the lock. Nothing seemed to help. Magolor was about to give up when Kirby gave it one last try. He put in a random code, 0824, and threw it to the ground when nothing happened.

"Maybe it's already broken. It won't do anything!"

A small click indicated success, and all three stood frozen in place. By a stroke of pure luck, Kirby had input the correct sequence. However, no one moved for it right away. None had even the slightest idea what lay inside. It was the mysterious foreign gift from foreign technology. Whether it was meant to help or hinder was unknown.

Kirby shyly covered half his face with his hands. "You guys look first. Tell me when it's safe to look."

Magolor approached with caution and slowly moved the lid back. Inside the case was a strange golden object, embedded with jewels and baring sharp spikes. He dared to pick it up, surprised by its light weight. It glowed softly, radiating a strange aura. He thought it looked like a hat of sorts, but it was far too fancy for casual wear. Holding it made his skin prickle, and it inspired a strangely familiar feeling of nausea in the pit of his stomach. _What is this thing? Why do I get these bad vibes from it? It's so... familiar. But I can't place it... I guess we found our "magic artifact."_


	9. Chapter 8: End Part 1

The throne room was in ruins. Tables were overturned, food and wine stained the floors, and two opponents continued to circle each other like predators. Both had slowed down in pace, indicating their growing fatigue. Meta Knight had not expected the jester to be so ferocious, and Marx had not expected new injuries on top of what he obtained from traveling in such haste. Still, he showed the knight no fear. He needed to buy Magolor as much time as possible to get clear of the castle and far enough away to hide. _He better be smart enough by now to do at least that._ Marx kept a steady gaze on the knight, purple eyes matching yellow.

"You cannot defeat me," Meta Knight growled through his teeth. "You might as well skulk back to the forest. Give up, heathen. I'm not letting the likes of you stop me when I'm this close."

Marx weighed his options. He couldn't fight Meta Knight much longer. He doubted he could out run him long, either. A thought struck the jester. _I can't beat him. That's just it... so I won't._ Marx spun on his heel and ran down the hall opposite of the one Magolor took. Meta Knight was hot on his heels, preparing to slice him in half. He led the knight up a staircase and dove into an empty guest room. Using his foot and his teeth, he pried the window open, revealing the courtyard far below.

"End of the line, jester."

Meta Knight was getting closer, closing in for the kill. Marx could see the excitement in his eyes. He stared right back, feeling a bit of nervous excitement as well.

"You're right. I can't beat a guy like you. But you know what I can do? _I can take every secret, every bit of knowledge I have to the grave and out of your reach._ "

With a wink, Marx let himself fall back. He caught a brief glimpse of a shocked expression before everything went blank. Marx did not continue right away. No, he had to wait for just the right moment. Meanwhile, Meta Knight glanced through the window, trying to comprehend the meaning behind the now flattened corpse below. Marx's body did not move. Meta Knight turned away from the sight and left the room. _Well, that's one down._ With that business done, the knight decided to move on to other priorities. The foreigners were no doubt escaping. Trying, at least. His cape swished as he tightly turned a corner. He met a dead end with no sign of his targets and headed back to the throne room, briefly stepping into the guest room again to see if the jester was truly dead.

There was no body.

Marx counted his lucky stars that the knight had reentered, and reset, the room he fell out of. He awoke standing in the doorway and ran for it, heading back to the throne room as quickly as possible. Marx hoped the knight wouldn't figure out the whole "continuing" thing too quickly. He counted on it too often to get out of sticky situations. The jester breezed through the throne room at top speed and followed the hallway Magolor went through. Breathless, he continued to run while peering into doorways just in case the Halcandran hid himself nearby. One door was cracked open, and Marx carefully peeked inside. Naturally he was irritated that Kirby still had Magolor here, and he kicked open the door fully.

"Mag, what are you still doing here?! You were supposed to run!"

Magolor turned around, holding a glowing object that gave off ominous vibes. "Marx, look! We opened the case from the Lor! It's a magic artifact, isn't it?"

"Looks like those toy crowns they make for kids playing pretend. Now, let's go before captain Tin-can shows up with help."

Taranza frowned and gestured to the object. "But if this is magic, we can use it to stop Meta Knight! Why don't we try it?"

"No way!" Marx growled. "Stuff like this can build you up or tear you to pieces in an instant. We can't risk it now. Let's just leave while we have a chance!"

He turned to Magolor, cringing at his broken expression. "But... what about the king? We can't let something happen to him..."

Marx sighed and briefly bit into his lower lip. "Sometimes you have to be selfish, Magolor. For your own sake. You can't help _everyone._ You can start being a hero when you can actually take care of yourself. You look like you lived in a dumpster for a year. **Let's go!** "

Magolor said nothing, knowing that, as awful as it sounded, Marx was right. Even with magic, he doubted he could win such a fight. He did not know anything about magic. Magolor tucked the artifact into his worn out bag, and his friends headed towards the door. Kirby, who had been silent for a while, tugged on Magolor's hand.

"Do you really have to leave? I don't have anyone to play with. Daddy never plays games with me. He just works all day... I thought having a kitty would be fun. I promise I'll be nice. I'll even share toys with you! Please stay! I'll get Daddy to forgive you! It works every time!"

Magolor felt the strain on his heartstrings, moved by the plight of a lonely child. Taranza of course began to tear up and rub his eyes to clear them. Marx stared blankly, once again with a note of fear in his gaze. Magolor understood that gaze now. Wherever Kirby was, Meta Knight was somewhere in the shadows. They would get nowhere taking Kirby with them. Magolor patted him on the head and spoke quietly.

"I'm sorry."

Kirby held back tears as the three opened the door to leave his room. However, they advanced no farther. A Sword Knight and Blade Knight were waiting patiently for them, weapons drawn. Marx cursed under his breath and looked for a way to escape, but they were basically trapped in the child's room. _Damn it! So close! We took too long! Now we're in for it! If Mag wasn't my friend, I'd kill him. I still might kill him._

-

In their exhausted state, the three put up little resistance as the knights herded them towards the throne room, where a certain knight was waiting for them. Meta Knight was leaning against the throne, eyeing them with a scarcely hidden look of triumph. After seeing that Marx had somehow faked his death (some typical court jester trick, no doubt), he had not bothered to chase him down. It would be much easier to call for rested, battle-ready knights to do it for him. Meta Knight might had been fooled, but he was by no means a fool himself.

"Found them in Kirby's room, sir," stated Sword Knight. "Kidnappers, I bet."

Blade Knight added quickly, "Shall we take them to the dungeons, sir?"

He made eye contact with each of them. Taranza had the usual look of fear about him, though he did not stare at the floor as he had before. His company must have given him the smallest amount of confidence. Marx met his gaze openly, glaring daggers into his soul. The jester was small, but clearly braver and more troublesome. However, it was refreshing to meet a challenge again after so long of being the strongest in the area. Then there was "Mark." Meta doubted it was his real name. He was not the best liar. The foreigner met his gaze, fearful yet questioning. The knight could read him like a book. Hopeless with the tiniest glimmer of potential. He may be useful for his future plans.

"You have all made quite a fuss today, and ruined his Majesty's banquet for the poor. Something so lowly must be punished. Don't you agree? Send the jester to the dungeon. Dispose of him later. Taranza is to clean up this mess **without assistance**. I want this whole castle spotless in an hour. _Mark,_ you will come with me."

The knights proceeded to to pick up Marx, who paid them no mind. The jester was wide-eyed and staring at Magolor, whose fate was unnamed.

"Run, Magolor! Don't let them take you! Forget all them! Save yourself!"

The Halcandran called out to his friend as he was dragged away. "W-wait! You can't do this! Punishments should be part of the king's job! Where is he?!"

"The king had to be taken away for his safety, as procedure during a crisis. He will be back shortly. Though you three will be out of sight when he returns."

Meta Knight ended the conversation and began to leave the room. Magolor huffed indignantly when he noticed that the knight did not even bother to check if he was following; he expected absolute obedience. Given that he was tired, he decided to swallow his pride and proceed with caution. Magolor remained silent and focused on the movements of the cape ahead of him, watching it swish about and wave as they ascended a few flights of stairs. After a period of time, the distraction lost its hold on him, and he began to worry about how long they had been climbing. _Where is he taking me? Do I want to know? Kind of?_ Meta Knight paused a moment when they arrived at a glass door leaded to the balconies. At some point night had fallen. The air was pleasantly cool, and the sky was dusted with countless stars. As they stepped out, Meta Knight pointed to a ladder next to the door leading to the roof. Magolor hesitated to act, so the knight ascended first. Now a touch curious, Magolor flew to the top (he did not really need a ladder for such a short distance).

Magolor took in the view of the night sky, temporarily frozen in awe at the endless cosmos. The moon was full, illuminating the two of them where they stood a few paces away from each other. The gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh air with a hint of smoke as the residence of the castle started up a few fireplaces to warm up before bed. It was so peaceful. Had he been in a different situation, he would have loved to stay.

"Alright, whatever your name is," the knight finally began, sounding irritated. "If you want to be spared, and if you want your friends to be spared, you will tell me the truth. If you lie to me again, I won't hesitate to send you face first into the court yard. Start talking."

Magolor sighed, wanting to delay the inevitable. "I want information, too. Are you really planning to kill the king?"

A surprisingly warm chuckle answered him. "No, but the king needs to be replaced. Temporarily. I need to change some rules, and I need more workers. Then again, I might not if you start telling me the truth."

The knight sat down, gazing up at the stars wistfully. Something about the image looked sad, though Magolor could not piece everything together yet. He sat down near (but not close) to the knight before responding.

"Why do I matter? What could I possible do for you?"

"Do you have a ship or not?"

The sudden question surprised him, but he answered honestly. "No, not anymore. Why?"

There was a short pause. "Do you know where it is?"

"Not a clue. Part of me would rather not see it again..."

The knight's gaze fell the the grounds below them, barely visible in the moonlight. He looked so... disappointed. Finally the images clicked in Magolor's mind, and everything fell into place.

"You... You and Kirby aren't from here, are you? You go out searching for people in hopes of finding their ships... You're just trying to leave, too..."

Meta Knight gave a tired sigh. "I've been away from home for a long time. I would sacrifice anything to get off this backwoods rock. My home... My true home is out there somewhere. If I can just find a ship to get me there... I came here with Kirby long ago. Now we're stuck without transportation. I wanted to find you so that I could use your ship. Or at least get you to help me build one."

Magolor felt sorry for him. He was stuck here, too. They all were. After looking at the stars in silence for a while, Magolor relented and told his story once more. He too was far from home, as was Taranza. Marx was hard to predict, but he did not seem too attached to Popstar either. In turn, Meta Knight gave him a few details on his own plans. He was in the process of building a massive battleship. Such a vessel would easily take a hit and protect Kirby and himself as they travel to their home planet, one that he refused to name. Unfortunately, materials were hard to find, mechanics even more so. Meta Knight scoured the land for anyone with a hint of intelligence to help him build it. He roughed them up "a little" when things did not work as intended. Meta Knight did not tell the whole truth on that last note, but there was no need to let Magolor know everything just yet. The Halcandran took in the story, almost forgetting his previous cruel treatment. Almost.

"You know, maybe if we all worked together, we could all go home. B-but you can't treat us like you have been! You can't hurt us or the king! I can deal with ship maintenance, but you have to uphold your end of the bargain, too!"

Meta Knight laughed, smiling under his mask. "Well... I suppose I could play nice in return for your help."

Magolor stared into his eyes, looking for anything suspicious. The knight was hard to read, given that his face was covered. He simply offered his hand to shake. Magolor felt some hope begin to form as he accepted the hand and shook it firmly. _Maybe this won't be so bad._ He was not sure how long a standard agreement-handshake took, so he simply let Meta Knight hold his hand until he wanted to let go. The knight showed no sign of getting tired of the exchange, and looked a touch amused at Magolor's growing confusion. _He's making fun of me now. Right after agreeing to be nicer!_ A full minute of silence passed by with neither moving a muscle.

"Uh... I-I should probably go."

"Probably."

"Can you... let go, please?"

"Only because you were polite. I need to inform the knights of the jester's release anyway."

They finally separated. Meta Knight gave him directions to an empty guest room where he could live and informed him that his friends would be sent to him shortly. Magolor nodded and left without a word. _This Meta Knight is completely different from the one that I met in Bubbly Clouds... I hope this is a good idea. I suppose we could try to sneak away, but... what if he is telling the truth? If I'm planning to leave and find my home anyway, I might as well help someone doing the same. I did agree to help Taranza, after all. Maybe some lives will be spared this way. With Meta Knight gone, Popstar would be peaceful... but what about where I'd be sending him to?_

-

By the time Marx entered the room, Taranza was passed out in one of the three beds, thoroughly whipped out from cleaning up the messy throne room. Magolor was occupying a spot in front of the fireplace, warming his fur and studying his artifact. He turned to look at the jester, who stared back with a familiar glare. _I figured we would have an argument about this..._

"Marx, I know you probably hate me for this..."

Marx sat next to him and huffed, "Damn right."

"But I think we can work with this! With someone like Meta Knight on our side, we don't have to worry about getting into trouble with knights anymore! We can travel any time of day or night. Besides, he promised not to hurt us or the king while we work together."

"And you believe that? Ha! You can't buy every excuse you get, Mags. There's this thing called _lying_ that people do when they want to trick you. I don't trust this guy, and you shouldn't either."

"I don't trust him, but he's already building a ship. If he leaves the planet, we can go, too. It's an opportunity that we might not have again. It's the best plan we have... until I can figure out how to work this thing."

Magolor turned the crown over in his hands, trying to figure out what purpose it could serve. Marx glanced at it, too, comparing it to what he knew of magical artifacts. Most available on Popstar looked nothing like this. This golden crown truly looked like nothing but a household decoration. However, Marx could sense the magic in it. Anyone could tell that there was something different about it. Marx just could not decide if is was a "good" different or not. _But I guess in the hands of someone as innocent and clueless as Magolor it couldn't cause that much trouble._

"... I guess I don't have a choice other than to roll with your stupid plan." Marx finally admitted. "Just remember it's temporary. Priority number one is not helping some metal coo-coo clock ravage the galaxy. You wanted to find out about you, remember? As for the artifact... have you tried talking to it yet? I'm not sure how you're supposed to activate it."

"Um... I guess I could try it." He blushed a little, feeling ridiculous talking to an object. "Uh... Hi. I'm Magol-"

"Don't introduce yourself, you idiot! Tell it to activate or something!"

"R-right! Sorry! Uh... Crown, activate! ... Please?"

Nothing happened. The two sighed with disappointment. Marx yawned and headed over to his bed, decidedly done for the day.

"I guess we'll put it off for now. Maybe it's just somebody's old junk."

Magolor was not convinced of that. The Lor must have given it to him for a reason. Why give him a useless trinket? He mindlessly traced the edges of the artifact, noting its three sharp spikes. _Wouldn't that be uncomfortable? Why would anyone make a design like this? Getting scratched would be no fun, and a child could get hurt by it. Maybe it really is just a decoration..._ There was one way to test it. Magolor gently placed the crown on top of his hood, finding it to be a perfect fit. The light weight was barely noticeable. He jumped when Marx whistled from his bed.

"Hey, hey, hey. Looks like the king has returned. _Sharp as ever._ "

Magolor laughed at the pun, grateful for the jester's humor. I reminded him that he had come a long way since he first embarked on his own. There was a long way to go still, but he felt confident that they could get through it together. Magolor decided to put the artifact away and get some much needed rest. Just as he started to lift the crown, the spikes clamped down. He paused for a moment, thinking that it was his exhausted imagination  
and pulled harder. Magolor gasped when the vice grip bore into his skin, threatening to go deeper.

"M-m-marx? I-I can't take it off!"

Marx shot out of bed and ran to his side. He examined the object in confusion. The artifact clamped down in his skull. Marx knew he had to think fast.

"Alright, alright. Get into bed and don't move a muscle, understand? Don't even twitch, and don't pull at it anymore."

The panicked voices had caused Taranza to wake. He was sluggish at first, until he saw Magolor shivering in bed. Before he could respond, Marx started giving orders.

"Go get bandages, towels, and hot water. And something sweet for him to drink."

The spider hesitated only a moment before obeying. He returned with a cart loaded with the requested items and more. Since he was the one with hands, he tended to Magolor, at Marx's instruction. He made sure the new wounds were clean and that his patient was in a comfortable position. Taranza gave him some fruit juice to hopefully calm him down.

"Isn't there anyway to take it off, Marx?"

"Apparently not without cracking open his melon. This is why you don't play with magic."

"Don't say things like that! You'll make him uncomfortable!"

Magolor almost laughed. "I-I'm already uncomfortable."

Marx felt a stab at his heart and gave his companion a goofy grin. "Just try to relax and maybe get some sleep. Popstar has plenty of magic-users. Someone will be able to get that thing off your head. I'll go get help tomorrow. We don't want you-know-who finding out about this."

Taranza and Marx stayed up with Magolor for three more hours, talking about anything to distract him from his discomfort and growing headache. Marx finally briefed Magolor on the concept of continuing, which Taranza was surprisingly familiar with. He also told Magolor about different parts of Popstar, which turned into a hilarious tale about the time Marx got his tongue stuck on an icicle while being surrounded by angry Chilly. Never kick off their heads, no matter what. Magolor eventually managed to sleep, as did Taranza. Marx kept watch for a while, just in case anything changed while the Halcandran was sleeping. All was peaceful for the moment, and before he knew it, all three were snuggled up together, put to sleep by the comfort of company.

-

Magolor finally stirred late in the morning, awakened by the sunlight filtering through the window. His previous pains had vanished, much to his relief. He yawned and stretched, careful not to stir his still resting companions. _I can't believe how much better I feel. I actually feel really good!_ The crown was still on his head, though its presence was hardly noticeable. He gave it an experimental tug. It did not hurt, but neither did it budge. It was as if it were part of his body. Curious and concerned, Magolor sought for something he could see his reflection in, to get a better look. He managed to find a small mirror after rummaging through the drawers of an end table.

The instant he looked at his reflection, he screeched, dropping and shattering the glass on the floor. Marx and Taranza were up in an instant, ready to help Magolor through another episode. What they saw stopped them in their tracks. Something about Magolor had changed. All was normal but his eyes. Those timid yellow eyes now had the black and red thickness of fresh blood. Combined with the spiked crown, his usual cute appearance now had a slight demonic quality. In contrast, he shook in fear, unable to understand the horror he witnessed.

"W-What happened? _What happened to me?_ " 

**END CHAPTER ONE**

 **Meanwhile...**

 **In the far reaches of space...**

 _HIDE_

His children heard the call, though they did not understand why. The rhythm echoed through space, bouncing from one being to another. This was a frightening song. They did not want to go away. They did not want leave their creator's presence, always keeping them safe. Why leave?

 _HIDE BEFORE THEY COME_

This was a command. Soon they could feel it. Each hundred and million felt it. Something unlike them was near. It had different energy. Its thoughts did not sing from one to another. How did it communicate? Could they not think? They could not understand the world outside of theirs.

They fled, breaking away from their bonds and becoming singular. One singularity fled as far as it could, trusting that it would be called back when it was safe. It flew through spaces, unrelenting until it began to exhaust. With its energy spent, it descended upon an unfamiliar star. Its collective knowledge had never known it. It was unpleasantly bright, but for now, it would be a resting place. It would wait as long as was commanded. Waiting patiently under the sun and moon of planet Popstar, it would rest until commanded to rise again.


	10. Part 2: Magolor's Adventure

Marx was not entirely sure how a full year had slipped by, but it had done just that.

His new life at Castle Dedede was no walk in the park. It was the first time he had been given a real job, after all. Working for someone he hated was not what he would have preferred, but it was slightly better than doing nothing all day. Better than living in one room forever at least. Better than being feared and hated by everyone. It was the first time he had friends, too. Clueless Magolor and slightly less clueless Taranza made his arrangements bearable. Taranza was a complete airhead, but he was at least entertaining and surprisingly useful in the magic department. Magolor on the other hand, had quite a few problems on his hands...

He stopped talking for a while after it happened. The Halcandran spent nearly two weeks locked in their shared quarters, refusing to do anything but sit in a corner. Any attempts to remove the crown either did nothing or gave Magolor (almost literal) head-splitting migraines. Whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with it. They even brought a doctor from the other side of Popstar in to see him, though it did not help. The man saw nothing physically wrong with Magolor. Not even the red eyes seemed to indicate a potential _health_ problem. However, the doctor confessed to Marx out of the others' range that magical artifacts and red eyes are never a good sign, and that it might be safer to send him away, or perhaps even kill him. The jester gladly showed him to the door... after a necessary ass-kicking when no one was looking.

Magolor was not a monster, and both Marx and Taranza were determined to prove it. After endless coaxing and reassurance, they half-dragged Magolor out of hiding to interact with the rest of the world. From there, the problem nearly fixed itself. The king adored his new accessory and congratulated him on finding such an interesting artifact. Kirby was absolutely fascinated with it, which prompted a million questions and dragging Magolor off somewhere to play. The servants hardly glanced in his direction, too busy with work to assume anything strange. Even Meta Knight himself seemed at least somewhat impressed that something so valuable ended up in their hands. The encouragement did wonders for Magolor. Slowly but surely, he began to act like himself again.

The instant word of his recovery was out, Meta Knight was at their door, ready to put them all to work.

After the truce with Meta Knight, plans were put into action. Now that everyone was on the same side, he reluctantly let Magolor, Marx, and Taranza in on what he did far below the grounds of Dreamland. He took them to his base at the coast of Orange Ocean, where his crew and associates resided. The large building was bustling with knights of every shape and size. They brought in information about everything going on in every corner of Popstar. Marx compared the fortress to a doomsday bunker for crazy people or perhaps an ant farm, but the knights did not appreciate his humor. He wanted nothing to do with this place, but it fascinated Magolor. It was probably the first advanced technology he had seen since he left his ship. He eagerly took in everything: engines, weapons, computers, scale models of machines, and just about anything else made of metal. The Halcandran was basically a kid in a candy store, much to Meta Knight's amusement. The knight took them to the lowest part of the compound to reveal his project.

It was the largest room they had ever seen, filled mostly with metal parts waiting to be assembled. It would be here that they would construct an impenetrable battleship, currently dubbed "Halberd" to escape planet Popstar. A crew had already been hired, and knights were on hand to build it, but Meta Knight was short of people intelligent enough to read and make blueprints for something so large and complex. Magolor agreed to assist in that department, which made the others reluctantly agree as well. Thus, a year of hard work flew by.

The alliance had a rocky start. Right off the bat, the knight argued with Magolor over the blueprints pretty much every time they looked at them. Meta Knight had left out many crucial safety and comfort mechanisms, and Magolor insisted on scrapping the entire design and starting over. This infuriated the knight, who was set on leaving out what they could to save time. After an hour-long ordeal (and one broken chair later), the ship was redesigned from the ground up, and the construction of the skeleton began. Actual construction was as long as it was tedious. When Magolor wasn't overseeing the Halberd, he took a liking to asking traveling knights about their journeys. Taranza assisted in the building process using his magic, though he took greater interest in other duties, such as cleaning, organizing, and even preparing food. Marx gladly accepted the opportunity to boss around the workers. He had read enough about building things to know when someone was screwing up, then never hesitated to scold, lecture, or even nip at their heels with his fangs. No one shirked their work when Marx was prowling around. Under the watchful eyes of Meta Knight, everything was running smoothly. For a while, at least.

Their absence from the castle did not go unnoticed, and little Kirby was outraged that Magolor never had time to play anymore. The project was strictly secret, and it was thought best that the king and other inhabitants did not know what was coming. To top it all off, exhaustion was setting in. They worked unyielding for hours until they fell asleep. Magolor informed Meta Knight that no one should be worked so relentlessly. The knight would have ignored him, but Marx tipped him off that a dead crew can't work, glancing pointedly to the dragging knights across the room. Construction was halted temporarily, and everyone returned full-time at the castle. This break was divine for the three friends, who had not had any time to spend together without Kirby or Meta Knight. They spent time reading in the library, concocting strange recipes in the kitchens, and playing in the surrounding forests. It was a breath of fresh air for everyone.

Yet all too soon, it grew stale.

-

Magolor yawned, tightening his grip on his blanket to keep out the chill. He was reluctant to leave his warm bed after such a peaceful sleep, but a Sword Knight rushed in their quarters at midnight, urging them to go to Meta Knight's room immediately. Marx growled at the intruder, but he obeyed purely because he was half-asleep. Taranza closed the door behind them as they silently trekked down the halls of Castle Dedede to avoid arousing suspicion.

Marx cursed under breath. "Doesn't Metal-head know that non-vampires need to sleep?"

"Let's just get this over with." Magolor quietly sighed, "It could be important."

The journey upstairs silent until they arrived at the knight's door. After a gentle knock, they were quickly brought into Meta Knight room, the door locked behind them. He as awake and aware as usual. _Was Marx not kidding about this guy being a vampire?_

"Do pardon the rude awakening. I received news that couldn't wait a moment longer. I have a job for you three."

" _Oh, bestow upon my wretched soul such invaluable quests of wisdom._ " Marx proclaimed, not without laughing between words.

"I was just brought in-tell from various parts of Popstar that no one is dreaming." __

This statement got the three to pause. After an exchange of confused looks, Meta Knight explained further.

"I mean what I say quite literally. People on every corner of Popstar are reporting the same thing. Every since about three days ago, no one has had a single dream. Not even those afflicted with terrible nightmares can dream. It is strange. Normally, I wouldn't care, but something this widespread could be a sign of worse things to come. If something is happening to Popstar, it could hinder our plans to escape. If we are on the subject of dreams, I need someone to investigate the Dream Spring and the Star Rod."

He then proceeded to explain these things to Magolor. _On the edge of Dreamland, dreams and hopes once gushed forth from the Dream Spring, fueled by the Star Rod._ The magic of the spring enhanced the dreams of those on Popstar, good or bad. It was theorized that either the spring was created by magic users who relied on dreams to see into the future or past, or that no one was meant to be able to dream on Popstar at all until the spring formed on its own. The fountain baring the Star Rod in the center of the spring regulated the dreams, and allows all creatures the ability to dream. If no one was dreaming, something must have happened to the Star Rod.

As the story was concluded, Taranza asked, "Do you think someone stole it? What would someone want with the Star Rod anyway?"

Meta Knight merely shrugged. "It could have simply fallen out of place, or knocked down by someone foolish. In that case, all you have to do is put it back in place. I'll cover for your absence while you take care of business. No one needs to know if there is an actual crisis, understand?" He made meaningful eye contact with each of them.

Marx was already turning around, heading for the door. He had not seen the fountain in a while, and it would be at least interesting to see it again. Taranza was quick to follow, now fully awake and pumped to go on such an important mission. Just as Magolor reached the doorway, Meta Knight called him back. "Hey, wait a moment."

Magolor hid any hint of nervousness. "Yes? Did you have something else to tell us?"

"I have something to tell _you._ not about the mission, though. I'm referring to your artifact." He responded bluntly as usual. "Given that it is magic, I strongly recommend you seek an apprenticeship somewhere and learn to use it properly. There's no sense in letting it go to waste just sitting on your head."

"An... apprenticeship? Where would I find someone able to teach me? Where would I even look?" The idea made sense, but Magolor was content pretending the crown did not even exist. The thought of using it brought up an uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.

The knight seemed to detect his unease and tried to be reassuring. "There is no shortage magic-users on Popstar. You may even be able to learn some basics from Taranza. Just don't go burning down forests or raising the dead. We have a reputation to uphold."

Magolor decided to ignore that last comment. _Does he have to make everyone sound like a burden?_ "I-I guess I'll look into it."

With that said, he left to catch up to the others. Magolor let his thoughts wander as Marx made plans to travel first thing in the morning. Sleep did not come immediately when they were back in bed. _What kind of things can I do with the crown? I've seen creatures use things like fire and electricity... Maybe I can do that? Oh, I have no idea... I don't even know what I would_ _ **want**_ __ _to do. I guess Meta Knight is right. I need someone to teach me a thing or two about magic. Hey... maybe we'll run into someone while we investigate the Dream Spring._

-

 _The stars are brilliant tonight._ Their light speckled the night sky, never ceasing to amaze the old warrior. He had mapped them dozens of times and used their positions to guide him through unfamiliar territory. Then again, the stars never changed. Was anywhere truly unfamiliar when they were always above him? He reminded himself of these things when nights were cold and lonesome. It was a brief distraction from the pains of travel as well.

The knight had acquired a scrape here and there, though the dislodged wing was more bothersome. Nothing he had not dealt with before, at least. Unfortunately, he was in no position to seek help. He could not even afford to stay in his makeshift camp for a prolonged period. The thought of sleep made him weak, but he roughly shoved the thoughts away, turning to the stars once more. No, there was no time to get comfortable. Not when so much trouble was on the horizon. The ability to dream had ceased, and never had he seen the inhabitants of Popstar grow so violent and restless. Were things things related... or was something darker at play? Either way, it was bad, and no one was doing anything about it. He had no choice but to take up the mission himself. Alone though, he was embarrassed to admit that he had achieved very little.

He allowed himself to rest against a tree, careful not to agitate his useless feathered limb.

 _Soon enough, I will find who is responsible for this, and I will not be kind._

 _I've lost my home once, and I won't let it happen again._


	11. Magolor's Adventure- START GAME

"Are you **sure** I can't come with you? I'll be extra good!"

"Sorry, Kirby. We're in a hurry, and I doubt this will take long anyway. We're just putting the Star Rod back where it's supposed to go. I'll see you again soon."

Magolor tried to reassure the child next to him as he packed his bag for the trip. Kirby had been very upset when he learned that he couldn't go on the mission and stalled them as much as possible. Meta Knight had made it very clear that the boy would not go, and Marx obviously did not want to babysit as well as explore on the knight's behalf. Marx had done all his packing the instant he woke up and had simply waited for his companions to get up. Taranza had trouble deciding what he wanted to bring, which caused the jester to eventually lose his temper and do half of the packing for him. Magolor decided to travel lightly, given that the trip should only be a day at most. His Warp Star could get him anywhere in mere minutes, so there was no need to take everything.

He paused to glance out of the window in their room. The morning sun was bright and warm, and the sky was clear. It promised to be a beautiful day. Magolor smiled. _Maybe that's a good sign._ Magolor was not quite ready for another big adventure, and he hoped this mission would be easily solved and put behind them. These simple days of fun and happiness had done wonders for his mind, and there were even times when he forgot about his ultimate goal of figuring out what brought him to Popstar. It was true that he wanted to know where he came from and why, but Magolor now had moments when he questioned the necessity of the answers. Now that he had a home and friends, desperation was no longer a driving force in his desires. However, when his thoughts wandered on quiet nights, there was nothing on his mind but questions. _Why did the Lor Starcutter bring me here and keep me locked away? What have I left behind? If I knew, would I miss it? What is this crown, and what is it meant to be used for?_

"Hey, hey, hey! Wake up, daydreamer! Let's go figure out where the night-dreams are!"

Marx's harsh voice brought him back to reality, and Magolor quickly grabbed his bag. He gave a still sulking Kirby one last goodbye before he headed out the door with Marx and Taranza at either side of him. As they left the courtyard, passing knights and Waddle Dees waved to them. On the surface, everyone got along well, though Marx seriously doubted that was the case. Once they were free of the castle's walls, Magolor took his Warp Star from his bag, which caused to to grow large enough for all of them to grab and ride on. As optimistic as ever, Taranza shrieked and jumped onto the star, ready to begin his first big adventure outside the castle (that he knew of at least). Using his magic, he created some strong webbing in his hands using them to grab Marx and attach him to the Warp Star like an angry sticker.

"Hey, HEY! Don't do that!" The jester squirmed briefly before giving up. He knew that Taranza's intentions were to help, but it did not necessarily make him feel better.

Meanwhile, the spider bit back a giggle. "Sorry, Marx. I didn't think you would have any fun holding on with your teeth. Would you like me to hold you instead?"

" _NO._ One-hundred and fifty percent _NO."_

Magolor laughed at his bickering companions and hopped onto the Warp Star, causing it to activate. None were prepared for the sudden boost of speed that shot them through the sky. Taranza screamed almost the entire time while Marx yelled and cheered, having the time of his life. As usual, Magolor preferred to keep his head down until they reached their destination. Thankfully, the Warp Star always knew exactly where he needed to go. The Halcandran opened his eyes when their pace slowed down enough for them to get off. Poor Taranza jumped off immediately, leaving Magolor to pry the jester off of their mode of transportation. Once all of them were on the ground, the star reduced in size, and Magolor quickly put it bag in his bag before it could fly off by itself. When all three were ready to begin, their gazes began to inspect the mystical Dream Spring.

-

Something clearly went wrong.

The air was stiff and tense, no different than a battlefield. The spring did not look much better than one. Though the waters were crystal clear and the elegantly sculpted fountain stood tall in the center, the grounds surrounding it were churned up. As they suspected, the Star Rod was missing. Scars decorating the ground lead to a large crater, larger than all three of them put together. Marx took the initiative to approach first, peering into the almost perfectly round hole in the ground. When he visibly stiffened, the other two quickly followed.

Within the crater was a glass-like sphere that had been cracked into two equal pieces. Smaller fragments were scattered around it. It was dark in color, a mix of blue and purple hues. Upon closer inspection, star-like patterns could be seen inside, but they had lost their light. The glassy surface was smudged with dirt and appeared to have a few cleanly drilled holes in it.

Taranza shivered while he looked at the broken thing. "W-what is this? It gives me the creeps!"

"Hmm... I've read about this thing." Marx muttered with a hint of discomfort. "It's a creature that can cause bad dreams and is super powerful. There are myths about him pretty much all over the place. A legend called it Nightmare. Right now, I would call it **dead**."

Such creatures always fascinated Marx, and he researched them every chance he got. The horrendous tales of Nightmare painted a picture of an unstoppable monster, capable of destroying the hardiest of minds. Yet, here lay its spherical form, lifeless as well as harmless. _Not necessarily a bad thing... but it doesn't point to anything good either._

Magolor glanced at the area around them. "Maybe it was the cause of our problem. It took the Star Rod and someone defeated him. Do you see it laying around anywhere?"

"Take a closer look at the ground, Mag." Marx replied uneasily with his gaze now focused outside of the hole.

Magolor paused and looked closely at the area around the crater. It was then that he noticed what Marx had seen immediately. The scars in the dirt were claw marks, as if something large had been desperately escaping a vicious attacker. The lines dragged back into the hole, where the the broken Nightmare orb rested eternally.

Marx walked closer the the scratch marks and studied them carefully. "From the looks of it... Nightmare was injured, crashed, made a hole, and then got finished off by whatever was nearby. Then, that someone probably took the Star Rod. It's nowhere around here."

"If it was hurt before," Magolor began to reason, "then something could have been chasing it. It was running from something... Maybe trying to hide here."

This thought made Marx frown. "Well, then he almost made it. A dream fountain could have held and hidden a dream creature for as long as it wanted to hide."

"T-then it's still here!" Taranza cried out, becoming increasingly worried. "A horrible being strong enough to scare and defeat a legend is running around here somewhere with the Star Rod, and Meta Knight will have our heads if we don't do something about it!"

The jester silenced him with a glare. "Calm down, T. We don't have all the details yet. Let's just look around some more and get our facts and ideas straight... Then we can panic and throw in the towel."

They scattered about the area to look for more clues. Taranza was swimming through the waters of the spring and fountain to see if anything had been dropped while the others patrolled the shore. Within a few minutes, Magolor called them over to his side as he discovered a vital hint to the identity of their suspect. The waters of the spring left the grounds around it slightly moist, meaning that there were deposits of fresh mud. In one particular spot, Magolor had spotted a trail of several footprints. The first set was that of a large-pawed animal. The second resembled that of a metal boot, similar to what Meta Knight liked to wear, though it was clearly a different one. The impressions were deep, indicating that they were running fast, perhaps chasing each other. The trail disappeared in the grass, though the tracts pointed to some nearby forests.

"Looks like they lead to Vegetable Valley," Marx commented as his thoughts began to calculate their next move. "It's not far from Green Greens were Whispy Woods lives. That's a lot of ground to cover, though... There's a lake, forests, caves, open plains, and the crooks could be anywhere by now! These tracks are old. They could be on the other side of Popstar with the Star Rod!"

Taranza suddenly grinned widely. "Why don't we split up and search different areas at the same time! If we take too long, Meta Knight won't be able to keep all this a secret from the others. If someone comes out looking for us... t-they could run into the thieves!"

"Are you nuts?! We can't split up!" Marx immediately protested. "Magolor can't fight the crooks alone if he finds them!"

The spider frowned and put his head down. "Oh, right... I forgot."

The Halcandran's face heated up, and he argued in indignation, "H-hey! How do you know I can't fight? I've come this far, haven't I?"

His companions exchanged a glance, clearly unconvinced. Taranza patted Magolor on the back. "He's not trying to make you feel bad, but you barely survived your journey to the castle."

"Sorry, pal," Marx added with a goofy smile, "but you kind of only got to the castle by being kidnapped. Tracking down our suspects is going to be a lot harder. Don't get your suit in a twist, Mago. You're just not much of a fighter. We can think of a better plan, anyway. Brain usually beats brawn, right?"

Magolor did not respond and chose to simmer in silence. _I can't believe they said that! I-I'm not that weak! Sure, I'm no expert, but..._ He had not wanted this mission to turn into a big deal. He did not want to have to fight again, but hearing someone say that he was not strong enough to even try... Magolor looked beyond the group into the forest. Meta Knight's advice resurfaced in his mind. _If I could find someone to teach me how to use the crown properly, I bet they wouldn't think so little of me. Yes! I'll just prove it to them! I'll search this area myself, maybe figure out some simple moves, then they can't say I'm not strong enough. Marx won't be so smug then, I bet!_ With his mind made up, he glanced at the others. Taranza and Marx had fallen back to bickering. They were so absorbed with their ideas that they did not noticed Magolor slip away and quietly head off towards Vegetable Valley.

 _I'll show them,_ he thought to himself darkly. _If they want proof that I'm strong, I'll give it to them! We'll find the Star Rod together, catch the criminals, and Marx will have to admit that I can take care of myself. They won't doubt me again._

He put on more speed, growing more eager the farther he got from the spring.

Given the brightness of the morning sun, Magolor did not notice the slight glow emanating from the crown, growing stronger in tune with growing ambition. 

**LEVEL 1**

 **VEGETABLE VALLEY**


	12. Magolor's Adventure- Taranza's Origins

_The rain was cold that day. Floralians and native creatures sheltered from the droplets nearly frozen in Popstar's atmosphere. The floating islands were quiet during the drizzle. Few figures were stirring, lulled by the drumming and soothed by that fresh scent in the air. One figure, however, watched with a heavy heart from the royal palace._

 _Queen Sectonia's last relative passed away the day before. The kingdom was hers and hers alone. This power may have delighted others, but the young spider queen felt it like a blow, not a boost. As far as she knew, she was the last of her kind. Her people once lived in harmony with the Floralians, but they slowly began to vanish. Disappearing or dying of poor health. With the passing of her great aunt, Sectonia was now the only one left. She had no partner or children. She would have no one to take over for her when this mysterious curse of fatality finally broke down her door._

 _She felt the rain begin to add weight to her clothes as she stood out on the balcony. The queen looked down at the clouds below that hid the grounds of Popstar. Their worlds were so close yet so different. Sectonia recalled visiting briefly once. It had been quite disorienting. The ground went on forever, sometimes hidden by vast oceans. She had wondered if some of her people had been there, lost or hiding, but no one like her was found._

 _When the cold was too great, Sectonia retreated to her private chambers to get dry clothes. After dressing in a new gown, she dove back into her bed and then her conflicted thoughts._ Is this all there is? Why do I feel so alone in this lively kingdom? _Her questions had no answer. Not at the moment. By some stroke of pure luck, however, an answer came a week later._

 _An elderly Floralian with wilting lily petals came to the castle with a young man in tow. She had hoped that the queen would be willing to hire him or find a place for him, as she was now too old to keep up with him. Sectonia felt a weight lift off her shoulders when her eyes rested upon the spider next to the old woman. However, her relief quickly developed into concern. There was something strange about him. He mostly kept his gaze on the floor while clenching and un-clenching his two upper pairs of hands. The last pair hung dead at his sides. Usually guests did everything in their power to appear are polite as possible. He did not even seem to notice that she existed._

 _"He's a good boy," the woman had reassured. "He's so helpful and so talkative at home. He could tell you anything about magic for hours if you let him."_

 _The queen was not getting that impression. "Is he... shy?"_

 _"No, your Highness. He picks and chooses when he wants to talk. My Taranza is special." The woman sighed and rubbed her watering eyes. "But he's an energetic thing. My old bones can't keep up much anymore. I heard you lost some family, your Majesty, and I know this isn't much of a compensation, but he might be some decent company if you'll have him. With patience, of course. Would you be willing to take him in?"_

 _The queen understood her reasoning but had her doubts. Nevertheless, Taranza was moved into the castle's servants' quarters. Sectonia wanted to take the woman's advice. Perhaps a new face would help her forget the ones she would never see again. Taranza was sad to see the old woman go, but it did not seem to hold him back much. She was not the first to take care of him, anyway. His first week was spent wandering the castle. He took in every detail as Sectonia explained where everything was and what would be expected of him. He nodded occasionally to indicate that he was listening, yet he would also reenter rooms and look at things already introduced to him. He liked to pick up things, trace patterns on them, put them back, and do it again._

 _The queen was unsure what to think as he moved from room to room. "I suppose this is standard practice for you, is it not?"_

 _"It's important," he said, the first words she heard him say._

 _After the first week, he had the entire castle mapped out and memorized from top to bottom. He could navigate blind if he had to. At this point, the problems started. Taranza picked up a terrible habit of ignoring everyone, even his queen. He spoke on rare occasions, and never as politely as one should to royalty. Sectonia felt her patience start to thin with this strange man. Apparently, the feeling was mutual. Complaints began to roll in that Taranza was partial to throwing "tantrums" when he grew frustrated. If he misplaced a book, a recipe fell flat, or he was prevented from performing his repetitive behaviors, the results was the occasional meltdown consisting mostly of yelling or throwing something. Whispers floated around the castle that he needed to be kicked out or sent off to be someone else's problem. Despite her frustration, Sectonia did not want to let him go. She did not want to be the last of her kind in this kingdom. She decided to sit him down and have a firm talk with him._

 _Taranza was sent to the queen's private tea room. It was a small space decorated in white with a large, open balcony. A delightful breeze was blowing through the fine silk curtains. Everything that was not completely covered in white was spotted with delicate pink flowers. Sectonia sat straight in her chair as Taranza quietly served the fresh brewed tea. He then sat opposite of her, immediately dropping the gazes of his eyes down to the cup and saucer in from of him._

 _"Taranza," she began gently, "I understand that this has been a great deal of change for you. It must be quite hard. I know what it feels like to lose someone you care about. But-"_

 _He looked up ever so slightly. "You do?"_

 _"Yes, yes. I understand how you feel." It was the closest thing to a real conversation they had ever had, and she grasped the opportunity before it slipped away. "Change can be hard, but not impossible. It has been brought to my attention by your fellow employees that you are having some trouble dealing with you feelings. Is that true?"_

 _Taranza started picking at the table cloth. "Yeah..."_

 _"Is there any particular reason why?"_

 _"Yeah..."_

 _"... Would you... like to tell me?"_

 _He lapsed into silence for a moment, appearing to be putting physical effort into formulating words. "I... I don't always understand things. Then people get mad at me, and then I get mad, too. This place... feels foreign to me. It's not home yet."_

 _"I did not realize that you felt so out of place," Sectonia confessed. "Would you prefer to be... elsewhere?"_

 _He frowned, looking more in the general direction of her face. "I don't know. I want a job like everyone else, but I didn't know it would be this hard..."  
_  
 _She took a moment to study him. Sectonia had never met anyone quite like him before. He had different needs and difficulty with communication, but he was clearly trying. She was relieved that he was not ignoring everyone on purpose, but the queen felt a twinge of guilt that her newest servant just spent almost two weeks suffering in silence._

 _Queen Sectonia began meeting with him regularly. She slowly learned what Taranza's problem areas were and devised a plan to work with them. He had an abundance of factual knowledge and skills in magic, but he was baffled in social matters. He could not correctly identify emotions tied to facial expressions or hand gestures. He also had trouble grasping what "personal space" was. This made conversations and interaction with others a troublesome task. So, she started teaching him in her free time. She encouraged him to ask questions about expressions he noticed on other people, and she readily answered them. Naturally, he started studying everyone in the castle and reporting back to the queen with a million questions. She even quizzed him a few times, making a face and helping him identify it. She adored his delight when he made progress. He found joy in making her smile, and strove to make sure she would continue to do so. Taranza quickly became attached to Sectonia. She may not always understand him, but she was one of few who took an interest in trying. It was a game that eventually evolved into friendship and something more._

 _They started spending all of their time together. Taranza was always a few steps away from the queen, asking questions or catering to her. New whispers began floating throughout all the islands. "Is it what I think it is?" Servants would ask each other when they thought no one would hear. "It's obvious," someone else would reply. "Don't you see how they look at each other?" In fact, everyone saw it. Genuine smiles, adoring glances, giggles of delight. She even knitted him a scarf with her favorite flower stitched onto it, which he began to wear at all times. What a pair: a graceful, gentle queen and her jolly, imperfect gentleman. Months passed, and their bond only grew stronger. Assumptions were made and rumors spread like wildfire. They thought there might be a wedding, there would probably be many adorable children, and the two were absolutely in love._

 _Then the mirror broke. The antique mirror in the queen's chambers had fallen and shattered when a maid was cleaning it. After the mess was cleaned, Taranza decided to seek a replacement, a beautiful mirror for his beautiful queen. He left, looking determined and as eager as ever._

 _But he never came home that evening._

 _Or the next day._

 _Or even the next week._

 _All the islands were searched, but he had vanished._

 _Months later, the search continued._

 _One figure, however, watched with a heavy heart from the royal palace.  
_  
 _-_

"Where did Magolor go?" Taranza asked Marx as he looked around for their companion.

Marx halted their session of bickering and finally noticed that Magolor was not there anymore. The jester sighed, rolling back his eyes. _Great. Of course. He's gonna try to play hero by himself._ He blinked slowly, already feeling an air of exhaustion before the job even started.

"Alright, let's go get him before he's eaten by something." Marx started towards Vegetable Valley with Taranza close behind.

The spider wore a hurt expression. "It was something I said, wasn't it? Were we being too mean to Magolor?"

"Don't get worked up over it, T. He'll get over it."

"But what if we really hurt his feelings? I couldn't tell when we were talking to him..."

Marx rolled his eyes again. "If the truth hurt his feelings that bad, he needs to grow up."

Taranza did not seem satisfied, but he accepted the answer anyway. He was still worried about his friend. Marx and Magolor were important to him. He enjoyed their company, as few people had the patience to tolerate him. These two were different. Well, they were all different in their own way, and it strengthened their bonds even more. He liked the little team that they had formed. Marx was the brains, he had magic, and Magolor brought them together.

They entered the forest, a vast lake glittering in the background. Small enemies tried to hinder their progress, but Marx and Taranza had plenty of strength to push past them. The spider saw no evidence of Magolor anywhere, but Marx continued along the path, either uncaring or fully aware.

"He must be way ahead of us. He wouldn't leave the path, would he?"

Marx sighed through his teeth. "He better not have. You can't take shortcuts unless you really know what your doing."

Taranza looked up at the sky. "How big is this place?"

"Huge," the jester responded. "About a day to cross it depending on where you go in. There are tons of exits, too. We have to find him quick before he ends up in the desert or the tundras."

Taranza continued to follow and glance up. For a moment, he felt like he had something important to say or perhaps do, but the moment quickly passed. Other things could be dealt with later. Right then, they needed to be a team again.

They were being watched.


	13. Magolor's Adventure-Another Origin Story

_Long before Taranza was brought to meet the queen..._

 _Two stories began and intertwined..._

 _-_

 _"Look! There it is!"_

 _Hey, it's the demon kid!"_

 _A group of children paused on their way to school having spotted the new kid trying to blend into the crowd. The other child froze upon hearing his nickname before trying to make a run for it. He was intercepted by the two Waddle Dees and their Bronto Burt leader. They stared down the foreigner, who sniffled and looked down at the ground. He knew that it was easier to submit than to fight back when outnumbered._

 _"Hey! We're talking to you! Are you deaf now, demon kid? Answer when I'm talking to you! Nova knows that no one else would ever want to," The leader asked while pushing him back with his foot._

 _"I-I just w-wanna go to class... please."_

 _After being pestered and picked on for a few more minutes, he was finally spared and allowed to pass. He fell in line with other students entering their first class, but several made an effort to stay away from him. Bullies were not the only ones who disliked his appearance. None of the other kids would play with him. Even teachers avoided having to look at him directly. He understood why, though. "Demon kid" was not entirely inaccurate. Other than soft purple skin and big eyes, the child's appearance was straight out of dark folklore. Horns on his head, split hooves, and dangerously sharp teeth. No other creatures on the whole of Popstar looked like him._

 _Marx was different, and not just by face value._

 _Marx was one of few that favored intellectual pursuits. Most creatures on Popstar valued magic powers and physical strength, but Marx knew that real power was all in the mind. Studying filled the voids in his life. He practically lived in the local library until they told him to go home. His parents supported his habits, always getting him new books and puzzles to play with when they had money to spare. Marx figured that they were trying to be the best parents they could, given that his biological family was never found. The two Poppy Bros found him wandering in the desert, sick but determined. He was fond of them, of course, but he always felt driven to be elsewhere. Memorizing paths in the forest, wandering around the village, or allowing himself to be lost in his thoughts. Marx was a dreamer, a thinker, and most definitely an adventurer._

 _He faced each day with resolve. He knew that one day, everything would be different. He would get stronger, smarter, and better at everything he did. Marx just had to wait, that was all. There was nothing wrong with that._

 _ **There is nothing wrong with waiting.**_

 __ _After a seemingly endless day, Marx quickly made his way home (running fast was a good advantage to have). Their home in the wilderness of Popstar was safely hidden away by the trees. Many creatures called the forest home for this very purpose. He scuttled along a well-worn path that lead to their house. It was a decent house, handmade and not completely straight, but it had that cozy feel that made any who entered drowsy and at ease. A rag was tied to the doorknob so that Marx could pull it open with ease using his teeth. He let himself in, noting that no one was home yet, and wandered over to the kitchen for a snack._

 _Marx finished off an apple and completed two puzzles before he started to worry. It never took them this long to get home. Even if they were out getting food or something of that nature, it never lasted so long into the afternoon. He double checked the house for a note and found none. The child became anxious and could stay in the empty house no more. He dared to venture out and look around. He knew how to defend himself well enough to take care of small threats._

 _All of his senses were on high alert; he listened to every movement in the forest, made note of every scent and speck of light or shadow, and paid attention to the feel of the dirt under his feet. Marx stayed low on the path, causing flowers and grasses to occasionally brush his cheeks. He saw no sign of his parents. In fact, he did not spot anyone. It was as if everyone had vanished. His blood ran cold as he realized what that meant. There must be a predator nearby. As quietly as possible, Marx huddled up in the nearest bush, and waited for any sort of signal that the coast was clear. He spent almost an hour curled up in his spot, and the sun had almost completed its descent. Orange light bathed the forest, and ominous shadows stretched out beside the trees._

 _Marx had just begun to creep out of his hiding spot when he felt vibrations in the dirt. He hid himself again as heavy footsteps could be heard as much as felt. Through the leaves of the bushes, about three meters away, a large Bugzzy was stomping through the forest, grunting and glaring at the underbrush in search of prey. The beast was clearly agitated, as were many other creatures these days. It started sometime a few weeks ago when rumors of something coming from the sky began to spread. His parents did not mention it around him, but it clearly worried them as well. Everyone had their guard up. It was a "shoot first, ask questions later" type of deal._

 _The Bugzzy scanned the area once more, looking more in Marx's direction. The child held his breath, praying to the stars that he was hidden well enough. The wings of the creature shuddered as it started towards him. Marx did not wait to see if it had actually seen him. He bolted from the bush and ran as fast as he could. The Bugzzy roared and gave chase, expecting easy prey. Marx dodged trees and branches, running at top speed. He could outrun a Bugzzy, sure, but he did not know for how long. The child jumped across some stepping stones within a stream and began moving in more unpredictable patterns on the other side, hoping to confuse the beast and give himself a few more precious seconds to escape. If he could just get out of the forest territories, it might give up on him._

 _Marx zipped past the guardian, Whispy Woods, and headed towards the part of the forest that lead to the islands. The beast was still after him, though it now had the attention of the guardian. The great tree shook, raining fruit and projectiles on the Bugzzy. Whispy's roots rose from the ground, trying to grab whomever dared to unsettle the forest. The beast had clearly taken more than its fair share of food, and now it would be punished._

 _It was then that Marx made a u-turn and head back into the forest. With the predator distracted, he may be able to find his parents. He gave Whispy a wide berth and began searching everywhere he could. Marx found nothing. He tried not to think about what he knew probably happened to them. It was well into the night when Marx collapsed from exhaustion on his doorstep, tears now streaming from his eyes. The cries of insects and birds had returned to the forest, mingled with his owned stifled sobs._

 _A new cry joined his own at one point, somewhere far away. A feminine voice. He caught the words "please open," but the rest was too hard to make out. Marx was too tired to think about it much. That day he learned true suffering. Getting bullied was one thing, but it was not the same as losing an entire family twice. The emotions were overwhelming. They manifested as a physical ache in his chest that made him want to cry his grief to the stars above or simply stop existing._

 _The next day, he left. Marx began his journey across every corner of Popstar. His thirst for knowledge was the only thing he had left. He grew up on the roads, taking odd jobs and studying everything he could get. He started disguising himself to avoid attention and practiced a dozen different backstories to tell to anyone who asked. However, he grew hardened. He made no friends. Did not even try. He saw the world as a beast; everything in it was cold and cruel. After many years, when he was stronger, he returned to the forest. To further conquer his fear, he build a new house there. His fear of the world was temporarily sated. Marx continued to trust no one._

 _Until a certain Halcandran wandered in. It was the damn near funniest thing Marx had seen in a long time. Anyone that dumb and determined was interesting enough to Marx. So he took a shot in the dark and talked to him. For once, he listened in return. For once, the world was not so cold._

 _-  
Elsewhere..._

 _Popstar was a strange place to her, so different from Halcandra. Scoria tried her best to like it, though, given that there was nowhere else to go. The Lor Starcutter had parked itself in an open grassland and had not budged since they landed. Scoria did not doubt the Lor's intelligence and sentience, but it worried her in times like this. It never disobeyed on Halcandra. Perhaps it was also heartbroken by the loss of their home world. They left everything and everyone behind. Scoria parted with her husband to find a safe place for their child, their precious toddler, Magolor._

 _The Halcandran put the worrisome thoughts aside and finished gathering food for storage. She brushed some dirt off of her sky blue cloak and headed back in the direction of the Lor. They had plenty of food left from Halcandra, but Scoria felt better knowing that they would not run out if they had to stay in the ship for an extended period. The creatures of Popstar were quite aggressive at times, and their people were not the fighting type. They were craftsmen, innovators, musicians, and artists. They could not build things quite as advanced as the ancient Lor Starcutter, but they were far from unintelligent._

 _As Scoria approached the blue ship, the door opened to let her in. The screen on the main computer lit up, and text began to appear._

 _ **WELCOME BACK, SCORIA. MAGOLOR IS CURRENTLY PLAYING. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO FOR YOU?**_ __

 _"Hello, Lor," she replied with a tired smile. "I just picked up some extra food. It needs to be stored. Can you watch Magolor for just a moment more?"_

 _ **OF COURSE... I WILL DO AS YOU WISH.**_

 __ _Scoria quickly put everything away where it needed to be and rushed into the nursery to see her son. Magolor had been amusing himself with a ring of keys and gear shapes but quickly dropped them when he heard his mother approached. He squeaked with joy and made grabbing motions with his hands until she picked him up and cuddled with him. Both began to purr._

 _"Oh, you're growing up so fast... I wish your father could see you now." She continued to pet him and kissed his forehead. "When Halcandra is free again, he will join us, and we'll all go home together. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"_

 _Magolor shrieked in response. "Daddy's come home!"_

 _A screen activated on the nursery wall, and the Lor addressed Scoria._ _ **WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO RETURN TO HALCANDRA?**_

 _The Halcandran frowned. "I'm not sure I understand. Halcandra is our home. As soon as the threat is gone, we can go back."_

 _This was not the first time the Lor Starcutter said strange things. In fact, it questioned their intentions rather often. Scoria was under the impression that the Lor disliked her. It flawlessly obeyed everyone but her. Then again, she was not intended to be the pilot. Her husband had been the one to awaken the ship. He had fully intended to join them until all the soldiers started dying. No one was left to fight, so he stayed behind to defend what was left of their world and try to free it. The Lor was not pleased. She hid her nervousness about depending on the ship to help care for Magolor. She doubted it would harm him in any way, but the Lor was hard to predict. Whenever she spoke to it, she did so in the calmest and most careful way possible._

 _ **HALCANDRA IS GONE NOW. THERE IS NO POINT IN RETURNING. THIS PLANET IS SPACIOUS AND FULL OF LIFE.**_ __

 _"I see what you mean, but Halcandra is not gone yet. It will take time to win in back, but it will be ours again. I'm sure of it. Besides, we should not intrude on this planet longer than necessary. It's a miracle we haven't been given any grief yet. Let's rest for now, Lor. Wouldn't you like to relax? You do so much, after all."_

 _ **I DO NOT TAKE YOUR ORDERS, SCORIA. DO NOT TRY TO MANIPULATE ME.**_

 __ _The screen shut off as the Lor disconnected from the room. As an added act of scorn, it also turned off the lights, startling the child and forcing Scoria to feel along the walls for a switch. She made no other comments to the ship. It would not make a difference anyway. The Lor was in charge here, and the two Halcandrans were powerless. They could only wait for help to come._

 _ **It was torturous to wait.**_ __

 _Scoria spent the rest of the day playing with Magolor and teaching him words and phrases. The evening was uneventful, much to her relief. Her son fussed a bit when he did not want to go to sleep, but a lullaby and exhaustion eventually won out. Scoria showered and flopped right into bed, equally worn out._

 _Her deep, dreamless sleep was interrupted when a screen activated at her bedside._

 _ **GET UP.**_ __

 _Her thoughts were still slow as she yawned, "Hm? Why?"_

 _ **YOU MUST HURRY AND LOOK OUTSIDE. THERE IS DANGER.**_

 __ _She almost jumped out of bed as she sat up. Without much more thought, Scoria left her room and headed to the entrance. As she neared, the door opened for her. She stood just outside the doorway, peering out into the darkness._

 _"I don't see anything, Lor. What's going on?"_

 _Without warning, the door slammed shut behind her. She turned, a feeling of horror sinking in her gut._

 _ **IT SEEMS THAT I MADE AN ERROR. I WILL CORRECT IT.**_

 _"L-Lor, let me back inside."_

 _ **I WILL NOT.**_

 _She started desperately pushing on the cold metal barrier. "Please, you can't do this! I know you don't like me. Please! Oh, my baby..."_

 _ **I HAVE SEEN THE FUTURE. I HAVE SEEN WHAT IS TO BE, AND I WILL NOT ALLOW IT. IF WE STAY HERE, ALL IS WELL.**_

 _"Make sense, Lor! Please, let me in! Open the door!"_

 _ **I HAVE SEEN WHAT MAY BE MAGOLOR IN THE FUTURE. IF HE LEAVES THIS PLANET, HE WILL CAUSE SUFFERING, AND HE WILL DIE.**_

 _Scoria tried and failed to process the information. Words choked her as she sobbed, "I-I don't understand! Let me back in! Open, please! Spare him! Don't hurt my baby!"_

 _The screen on the outside of the ship deactivated, ignoring her. The Halcandran's words devolved into feline caterwauling, wails of anguish and despair, a mother separated from her child._

 _The Lor Starcutter waited her out. Her pitiful cries meant nothing to it. It did not take long for predators to hear and find her._ _ **Good riddance**_ _, it thought. Meanwhile, it followed the orders its intended pilot asked it to do: keep Magolor alive. The child was unhappy at first. He wanted a mother's warmth and comfort and was too young to read everything the Lor said. Magolor would cry for hours on end for one reason or another. The ship did not put up with this for long. Magolor learned soon to never cry for attention. Crying meant that the kitchen and playroom would be locked.  
_ _  
The Lor raised him in the manner: obey absolutely or be punished absolutely. It was easy enough until the those pesky teenage years started. Though Magolor was still obedient, he would question everything. Where was his family? Where did he come from? Why could he not spend more time outside? He learned cunning soon enough, too. Twisting his words around to try to get more information from the Lor. The ship decided that it was Scoria's genes that caused this bothersome behavior. He just had to be more like his mother than his father. All the more reason to keep him locked away._

 _It just could not last, though. And the Lor could not explain to him what it saw as it ripped through dimensions: a vision of a being with no mercy or pity, crowned and thoroughly terrible. It thought that imprisoning Magolor would prevent this possible future... but seeing him grow more unhappy and desperate with each day... the Lor decided that it would make no difference. It was doomed to fail. The pilot had never come, and it could not control Magolor as completely as it wanted to. So, it left him._

 _If the universe was meant to crash and burn, let it._

 _He's someone else's problem now._

 _-  
_ Magolor was making good progress. Granted, he had gotten lost after about ten minutes, but he was still alive. His fiery burst of motivation had died out, leaving him regretful of his rash actions. _What was I thinking? Going off by myself with dangerous creatures running around was so stupid! Why did I think that would work?_ He put his thoughts aside for the moment, decided to focus on the task at hand. He was in the thickest part of the forest now, trees blotting out every hint of sky. Not even a tiny breeze could get through. If Magolor recalled correctly, there should be a boss around here somewhere to give him directions. He needed to get out of here and back to his friends. Taranza was probably worried, and Marx would no doubt give him an earful about his stupidity.

Meanwhile, his search had yielded little at first. There were no more muddy footprints to follow, though he occasionally spotted the marks of a metal boot. Unfortunately, they lead nowhere. He followed every hint he could find, but all he found was dead ends. _Gee, what were they doing? Running around in circles? No, were they looking for something? That other creature?_ Magolor stayed on high alert as he continued. Both suspects had been in the area, and they could still be lurking about.

This area of the forest was unnaturally devoid of animals. He had not encountered a single enemy. Magolor supposed that the suspects scared them off, but he had a bad feeling in his gut that something was wrong.

*SNAP!

A high pitched squeak rang through the trees. Magolor instinctively hunched down and scanned the area for the source of the noise. Pitiful cries soon followed, the cries of someone in agony. Realizing that someone was hurt, Magolor hurried to the source of the sound. He strayed from the path, pushing through dense bushes and saplings, and eventually arrived at a small clearing. In the center, a tiny green creature with big ears and a pale face had its stubby tail caught in some sort of trap. The metal teeth had snapped shut on the poor creature. The fallen leaves and branches nearby suggested that the cruel trap was covered and hidden previously. _Who would do something like this?_ The ratlike creature continued to cry as Magolor approached it, shaken but trying not to panic.

"O-oh my gosh! What is this? Never mind. H-hold still. Maybe I can do something!"

Thankfully, it showed no aggression towards him as he inspected the trap. He did not see any buttons or switches on it. Magolor decided to take a shot in the dark and try to pry it open. He firmly gripped each jaw and pulled them apart with all his might. It was surprisingly difficult to make even the smallest opening, but he could not just leave the poor thing like that. After his first try failed, he once more tried to open the jaws of the trap. _Come on! Come on! Move already! Now would be a really good time to have some magic!_ Magolor poured as much effort into it as he could. He did not want to watch something die. He could not bare it. Through this surge of emotion, the crowned glowed for a second. The jaws of the trap unfolded instantly, dropping the creature to the ground. Magolor dropped the trap, processing what just happened. _Did... Did I do it? Did I use magic? I think I did!_

Feeling hopeful, Magolor reached into his bag and pulled out some bandages. He carefully tied them over the creatures wounds. _I wonder if I have healing magic?_ He was about to try it when the rat jumped out of his arms suddenly and bolted into the forest. _A "thank you" would have been nice, but that's fine. At least I helped someone. I should have asked it if anyone had been seen around here._

Magolor continued on his way, deciding to put the event aside for now. He found his way back to the forest path and returned to the task of looking for clues.

*SNAP!

Rustling branches followed the sound.

"Again? Oh no... Don't let it be that poor little guy."

Knowing he could not ignore it, Magolor followed the sound of the trap once again. It was on the other side of the path this time and a bit father away than the last one. He quickly made his way through the vegetation only to halt abruptly when he found the trap. It was definitely _not_ the rat again.

This creature was slightly bigger than himself, a magenta puffball clad in armor of steel. White wings stained red were spread out on the ground, one of which was caught in the trap. A strange weapon that looked like a wedge-shaped sword lay nearby. Magolor slowly approached, unsure what to do this time. This was clearly a knight. Even if they were all on the same side now, that did not mean that they were all friendly. He hovered in front of them, noting that they were battered but still breathing. The knight also looked starved, a few ribs visible on their round body. The sight was terrible.

Magolor sighed, paused for a moment, and carefully picked up the trap and began the process of opening it.


	14. Magolor's Adventure-Player Four Added

Magolor finished his work and sat beside the fallen warrior. The Halcandran used up all the bandages he had to cover the mutilated and dislocated wing. He was not sure how to get the limb back into its socket, but he managed to create a simple splint with a branch to straighten the broken bones. He wrapped it up as best as he could, hoping he was making the right decision. Magolor rested, waiting for any sign of movement. The knight was unconscious, probably from exhaustion and hunger, not to mention intense pain. He gave no indication of waking anytime soon, if at all.

The knight's weapon was moved away from him after Magolor inspected it. _Better safe than sorry._ Magolor hesitantly rifled through the contents of a tattered shoulder bag as well. The puffball carried an empty canteen, a map of constellations, some broken pencils, and a small sketch book filled with near-professional doodles and to-do lists. Nothing in the drawings or lists struck him as out of the ordinary. The doodles were mostly of forest creatures and birds, and the lists were simple daily reminders such as "travel west for an hour, eat more fruit today, buy a new canteen and more pencils." He seemed relatively normal, despite being dressed as a knight. _Maybe he's different?_ Magolor put the bag aside and looked into the surrounding forests. This new development could throw a wrench in their mission to get the Star Rod as quickly as possible. He needed to find Marx and Taranza so he would not have to deal with this alone. As this thought entered his mind, two familiar voices were chattering away in the distance, right on cue.

Magolor stood up and called out to them, "Marx! Taranza! I'm over here!"

Almost immediately, the Halcandran was ambushed and tackled by his companions. Taranza coddled him, big tears falling down his cheeks as he begged Magolor to never run away again. Magolor sighed in relief that they were okay and not too upset with his rash decision. Marx had not immediately lectured him and instead cast a wary glance at the unconscious knight. His purple eyes expressed concern and mild confusion.

"... What the heck have you been up to, Mag?"

Magolor wriggled out of Taranza's grasped as all three turned to look at the knight on the ground. "I got lost while I was looking around. I found two of these... trap-things." He carefully picked up the one he found and showed it to his friends. "I freed a little rat from one and then this guy... He hasn't moved at all. Do you think he's... about to die? Could he be one of our culprits?"

Marx approached the stranger and nudged him slightly with his boot. "We saw his tracks, so he's involved, one way or another. If he didn't do it, he probably saw who did."

"I searched his things already," Magolor added. "No Star Rod. Or anything suspicious at all. A map, sketch pad, lists, canteens... It looks like this guys just a traveler. That's how it looks to me. What should we do?"

Taranza eyes lit up like newborn stars. "Let's help him! If he's just a regular guy, he might be on our side!"

"We can't trust this guy yet!" Marx argued, stamping his foot in protest. "Guilty until proven innocent, that's what I believe."

The spider frowned and pouted at his companions. "But don't we need all the help we can get?"

Both turned their gazes to Magolor for a deciding vote. He looked down at the ground, trying to focus his conflicting thoughts. _They both have good points. If we help this guy out, he might be willing to help us find who took the Star Rod. From the look of those footprints at the spring... he might have been chasing down who did this. This knight could at least point us in the right direction or tell us what to look for. On the other hand, this knight could be really dangerous. He could have hidden the Star Rod somewhere. Trusting him could be risky, but leaving him as he is now could kill him... Why do they want ME to decide?!_ Magolor stared at the still knight. This was the only lead they had. Otherwise, they would have to go back to square one. This choice could make or break their mission.

The puffball began to stir, and a groan of pain soon followed. His limbs twitched, but he remained on the ground. His breathing was ragged and often hitching with pains coursing through his body.

Taranza dared to get closer. "What's he doing? Is he trying to wake up?"

"Probably," Marx said with a hint of worry. "If we're going to help, we better do something about that wing while he's half asleep. What do you guys think?"

With no more time to think, Magolor nodded. "A-alright. Let's just do it. How can we fix that?"

"I know what to do," Marx replied with confidence. "Mag, get him on his back and hold him still. T, you're gonna have to be my hands here. Just do what I tell you to do."

Taranza saluted, and everyone fell into position. Magolor moved the now squirming puffball as carefully as possible and held on tight. There was a brief struggle, but the knight tired quickly and allowed himself to lay face-first in the dirt. Marx directed Taranza slowly and carefully, knowing that a mistake could be costly. Though Marx preferred to study offensive and defensive magic, he had a faint interest in the healing arts. During his travels, he picked up many life-saving techniques. He could not use most of them given that he could not use magic, but now he could put them to the test.

By the time they were finished setting the wing back in place, the knight was unconscious again, either from the pain or the sum of all his injuries. Despite being unsure, Magolor felt sorry for him.

"He looks terrible... What could have happened to him?"

Taranza pointed out his scratched armor. "I think he was in a bad fight... and lost. Do you think he will be okay?"

"We'll see soon enough," Marx grumbled, not too pleased that their efforts could be for nothing. "Let him sleep for a while. We can't let him sleep for too long, though. It looks like he's gone long enough without food." The jester sighed and looked up at the sun. "Damn. We've killed a lot of time. Might as well set up camp for now."

Magolor frowned at the suggestion. "Shouldn't we take him back to the castle to see a doctor?"

"Are you insane?! We've already got a crazy knight living there," Marx countered with a growl. "Putting two together is a terrible idea. If we're going to help, we do it the smart way, and that usually means my way!"

Magolor was not eager to start another argument so soon, so he opted to follow Marx's directions. The three cleared a few spots to sleep in and dug out a small pit for a fire. Marx patrolled the area briefly to ensure that nothing was living nearby while Magolor tried and failed to start a fire. Taranza took advantage of a small stream nearby and cleaned up the sleeping knight. When the dirt and blood was washed away, the puffball's wings were actually a brilliant white and quite beautiful to behold. After several more failed attempts, Magolor managed to use his newfound powers to ignite a single twig, though it was extinguished by a breeze. Working together with Tranza though, they made a decent campfire big enough to keep them warm when the sun went down but still small enough to control and keep away from the plants. It would be a terrible tragedy to set a wildfire in Whispy's territory.

Marx took the first watch, insisting that he was not tired. He watched the wilderness around him, ignoring his discomforts. _It happened here,_ he recalled. _No. Bad thoughts. Bad. Go away._ He turned his gaze to the newcomer, still not entirely sure what to think of him. Meta Knight had never made mention of another knight similar to himself or Kirby. He had never seen this knight before, which was unusual. Marx never forgot a face, and the only faces he did not know were Taranza and Magolor... _and they aren't from Popstar. Where could he have come from, though?_ Marx remembered what Magolor had told him of Meta Knight's ultimate goal with the Halberd: get back to his home planet. _If they're from the same place, we can't trust him. He'll turn on us, no doubt. I'll bet he's behind all this,_ Marx thought darkly. There was evidence enough to conclude it... but the knight did not have the Star Rod, which toppled over his theory. Regardless if the knight was trustworthy, they did not know where it was. No one would have any dreams if it remained lost.

There was the bigger problem to deal with as well. Marx tried to make sense of what they saw at the spring. Nightmare came to Popstar and died next to the only thing that could hide it. _What could Nightmare have possibly been trying to escape from?_ The jester drew a blank. Few things were more terrifying than nightmares. So many things were happening on Popstar, and they all seemed to point in the same direction. _Magolor came here from somewhere else. Taranza, too. Then there's Meta Knight and Kirby. Now Nightmare and this guy... Where are they all coming from?_ Marx looked up at the night sky and the billions of stars sending light into the darkness.

 _There's something horrible out there, and everyone running to hide from it..._

 _That means..._

 **Something is coming here.**

 **One day, one way or another...**

 **-**

Pain finally dragged him out of the comfort of sleep. The knight groaned and kept his eyes shut to the morning light, trying to remember what happened. His lids snapped open when the memories hit him full force. He was lying down on his stomach in what looked like a small camp next to a stream. He attempted to sit up, but he quickly realized it was too painful to do so. With a frustrated sigh, the puffball took in his surroundings. _It seems I've been spared... for now._

There was a fir pit in front of him, and further evidence around it that suggested that it was a temporary camp. Three areas were cleared and leveled for sleeping. Looking around though, the occupants were nowhere to be seen. The knight merely shrugged. Some travelers must have noticed his struggle and lent a hand before continuing on. He took notice of how carefully he was bandaged. _My wing is wrapped and in place again... Someone even cleaned me up... Traveling doctors, maybe? It couldn't be warriors or tourists. I haven't seen a friendly face in years... What's going on?_

"HELLO!"

The knight involuntarily jumped up and reached for the lance on his belt when someone yelled in his ears from behind. He realized he had no weapon when he turned to see what he was dealing with. The other party was some sort of arachnid with hover-capabilities. He had a big grin on his face and many innocent eyes.

"You're awake! You were asleep for a really long time. Are you feeling better?"

 _Doctors,_ he decided for the moment. The knight spoke calmly and tried to put his bet foot forward. "Somewhat better, yes. I assume I have you to thank for that. I'm in your debt."

"Aww... It's okay," the spider replied blushing in his hands. "Helping was my idea, and my friends and I fixed you up! They want to talk to you when they come back with food. What's your name?"

He noted the information, feeling slightly more hopeful. "I am Galacta Knight. I've been traveling around Popstar, until I ran into some trouble. To whom do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm Ta- Wait..." He paused, looking troubled. He then shook his head definitively. "I can't tell you yet." He looked off into the forest, probably concerned for his companions.

Galacta could see that he was upset and opted to play it safe. "That's quite alright. I am a stranger to you, after all. I can be patient and wait for your friends to come back."

The smile was back, and the knight quickly found out that it was contagious. He did not know if he could trust this group yet, but this particular member of the trio simply radiated goodness. He was certainly the happiest person he had seen on Popstar. It reminded Galacta of home, being surrounded by curious children who asked a million questions and never waited for an answer. Teaching had been such a joy, and he would give anything to have that again. _There's no one left to teach,_ he reminded himself strictly. _Leave the past alone, focus on the present, and prepare for the future._ He chose to find a different topic to discuss until the others arrived.

"You wouldn't have happened to see a lance anywhere have you? Or a leather bag?"

The spider nodded and responded, "Yeah."

There was a pause before Galacta encouraged him further. "Do you... know where they are?"

"I sure do!" He said with a smile. After a moment his expression soured, and he glared suspiciously. "But you can't have them right now. We've hidden them." He leaned forward and whispered, " _You might be a bad person, so you can't have weapons._ "

Galacta bit back a smile upon hearing the blunt explanation. "I suppose I can't blame you. I mean you no harm, but I guess that it's your group's decision, not mine."

"Yeah! We're a team," the arachnid proudly exclaimed. In his joy, he let some information slip. "Marx probably won't like you very much, but Magolor might once we-"

"What?" Galacta interrupted, growing tense and rigid. "That last name, what was it? I must have misheard."

Before he could respond, his strange companion turned sharply and stared into the distance. Galacta mimicked his actions, now aware of noise traveling through the forest. Two people were bickering and heading their way, presumably the two missing friends. The knight could just make out part of a conversation.

"-should have told me first! That was horrible," one semi-timid voice complained.

Another scratchy, obnoxious voice responded, "If you had one working brain cell in that head of yours, I wouldn't have to tell which foods you can and can't eat! You are ridiculous. I should have taken T-Bo with me instead of you. Taranza doesn't complain as much as you do."

"I'm not complaining," the other whined in a voice that contradicted him. " _You_ were supposed to help me find safe food!"

"I didn't _make_ you eat the bug."

" **You waited until it was in my mouth to tell me it was a bug!** "

"No, I taught you a lesson the old fashioned way: through _experience._ "

" **I could have died!** "

"At most, you could pick up a disease. Calm down, princess."

"You're kidding. _Please_ tell me you're joking!"

 _Never mind. They're not doctors._ The two finally revealed themselves, carrying bags of food. The smart-mouthed one was a small purple creature Galacta was unfamiliar with. He was dressed up in court jester's attire, but his eyes were critical and intelligent. However, the knight's focus was stuck on the last of the three. Undoubtedly Halcandran, decked out in traditional dark blue robes. Galacta couldn't help but stare at the crown. The Master Crown. An object so powerful, so terrifying, it was locked away somewhere secret before its location was lost. _How? Why? It's not possible... To wear it without suffering? It cannot be..._ He knew plenty about the artifact and how deadly it was, but the three paid it no mind. _Could the legends have been wrong?_ He forced himself to look away. There were too many questions to ask, but they would no doubt rouse suspicion. It was obviously **stolen** , but he could not just say that out loud. If he wanted answers, he would have to be careful.

Taranza waved to his companions and pointed to Galacta Knight. "Look, guys! He's awake! I think he's going to be okay."

All eyes were on him, and the jester's stare was the hardest, though his expression was difficult to discern. "Sleep well?"

"Quite well," Galacta replied calmly, refusing to be intimidated. "You three saved my life, and I should be grateful."

" _Should be_?" The jester pointed out. "That's right. We've got a lot of important things to do, and we lost a lot of time for you."

The Halcandran glared at him and muttered, "Marx, try to be nice. We still need information."

"Whatever," Marx grumbled as he sat down in front of Galacta Knight. He immediately put on his best smile, though it was just as unnerving as his staring. "So! Pinkie! What's a knight running around the forest for? In such... _unfortunate_ conditions?"

Galacta held his head high and answered honestly, "I've been investigating some strange anomalies on Popstar. I'm sure you've no doubt heard about the lack of dreams. I was looking for the Star Rod when I found one of the suspects. They had a piece of the Star Rod, and they put up quite a fight to keep it."

"A piece?" Marx echoed, looking a bit paler. "It's in pieces?"

The knight nodded and continued, "A creature known as 'Rick' is around here somewhere. I'm under the impression that he and his animal friends have all the pieces. If all the pieces are brought together, the rod can be restored and put back where it belongs."

"Why would they do this?" The Halcandran asked, clearly confused and worried. "What do you gain from pieces of the Star Rod?"

Marx interrupted, "So you say. Why should we believe you? You're obviously a knight, and knight's don't have a good reputation around here."

"Yes, I... I'm well aware of that," Galacta sighed. There was a significant amount of pain in his eyes. "All I have to give is my word that I was trying to fix the Star Rod and that I got overwhelmed."

The three exchanged glances. There was no doubt a close bond among them. Galacta could see that they were considering the situation carefully. He made no movement or sound while they did so. He knew that he was in no position to fight three people. It was wiser to see what they decided and then act. The less violence, the better. They huddled together and spoke quietly, sometimes agreeing, sometimes bickering. _They look like brothers,_ Galacta thought briefly. When he thought this, he noted how young they were. Marx and the Halcandran were barely teenagers, and Taranza could not have been that much older. _Do they take care of each other because no takes care of them?_

His thoughts were interrupted when the jester faced him again. "Okay, _Galacta Knight,_ we have a proposition for you."

"I'm listening," he responded.

Marx eyed him thoughtfully. "We need to get things back to normal as quick as possible for our own reasons, and you can help us do that. If you help us track down the thieves and get the Star Rod back together, we'll let you off the hook."

"You make it sound like I've done something wrong," the knight said as he glared back at the jester, getting slightly offended.

"Have you?" Marx countered. "You can't do this alone, and neither can we. If you help us, everybody wins. If you don't want to help us or if we find out that you're lying, _we can make you pay for it._ "

After so many years on the battlefield, the threat meant next to nothing, though it made their seriousness obvious. They were just as invested in this case as Galacta, if not even more, suspiciously so. Given their paranoia so far, it occurred to Galacta that they were given some sort of time-frame to find the Star Rod, or perhaps even threatened to do so. After hearing the comment on knights, he had a good guess who may do such a thing. Why, he did not have the faintest idea, but if his guess was right, he would have to be more careful than ever before. He looked each of them in the eyes for a moment before coming to a conclusion. _I can't let them do this alone. Not against him, and not if I can help them._

"Alright, you can could me in. I tell you what I've found out so far, and we'll work together from now on."

Taranza smiled and cheered, "Yay! A new team member!"

He roughly shook Galacta's hands while Marx immediately scolded him, "Don't break him yet! We just fixed him!"

The Halcandran had rolled his eyes and relaxed before passing out food to everyone. This was indeed a strange crew. Galacta was admittedly nervous to work with a team again after so long on his own, but it was refreshing in a way as well. They seemed capable enough on their own. Though, their situation worried him. _Could they have gotten tangled up in Meta Knight's mess? How did they get the Master Crown, and why hasn't it destroyed them?_


	15. Magolor's Adventure-Galacta's Origins(1)

_The body count had risen to 103,678, with more waiting to join them._

 _Protests had begun over the disposal of the corpses. Some said they should be burned to stop the plague, others argued that they should be properly buried with their families (the dead could not die again, after all). Decisions could never be made. The disease spread too quickly. No one new how to fight it either. Medications, herbs, therapy... Nothing could even touch it. They could only watch the sick deteriorate in agony and prepare a small number of deep space vessels seek a new home for those that were left._

 _Galacta Knight did not know why he was spared. Puffballs were hit the hardest, targeting all but almost completely wiping out the female population and children. As a warrior race, they stubbornly endured and suffered for extended periods, but the effected never survived. Galacta could only do so much for them. With so many unable to work, he took on as many jobs as possible in a vain attempt to make everything seem better than it was. He patrolled the villages at night, even those that were not his own. He delivered food to those who were bedridden and out of living relatives to care for them. He even taught a few classes when the school houses had enough children to teach. The knight knew he was running himself ragged, but part of him believed that, eventually, everything would go back to normal._

 _Oh, how wrong he was._

 _Another exhausting day had come to a close as the warrior dismissed a class of four students: two puffs and two Halcandrans. Today had been simple lessons. After reviewing a few math problems from the week before and reading two chapters of a popular children's novel, Galacta taught them to draw mountains and dragons. He wanted to lift their spirits as well as keep the arts alive. When everyone was finished, the children packed their bags and headed to their homes, all except one. A certain blue puffball stayed behind, looking up at him with a near permanent look of determination in those bright silver eyes._

 _"Mr. Galacta Knight, when will we get to do other stuff?"_

 _The knight regarded him patiently, "We covered some important topics today. Is there something else you think I should have added?"_

 _"Yes!" The boy nodded eagerly. "We should start training soon! I wanna know how to fight with swords and magic stuff!"_

 _Galacta sighed and patted him on the head. "I see you haven't given up your dream. Being a warrior is a lot of hard work. It takes years of training to be physically ready, and many more to gain sufficient patience."_

 _The warning did not sway him. "I can handle it! I want to work hard and get strong! If I'm strong, I'll take care of Mama!"_

 _It hurt to listen. Galacta knew that the child's family had also fallen ill, and his mother was the only other member left. He wanted to encourage the boy to follow his dreams and be happy, but he also knew it may hurt him more when he realizes that being a knight does not equate to invincibility. For the longest time, he did not know how to respond. Regardless, the boy beat him to it._

 _"I know you're busy all the time," he said softly, looking at the ground, "but can you please give me lessons? Even if it's just one or two... I want to learn how to fight really bad! More than anything in the whole world! I'll be super good in class and make really good grades_ _ **forever**_ _if you teach me to be a knight! Please, please, pretty please?" He looked up, pouting slightly as he waited for an answer._

 _Galacta's protests died looking at that face. "I suppose... I can make an exception for you." The little puff bounced up and down as he continued. "I'll teach you a few basic moves, but nothing overwhelming. I'll try to meet you when I can. I think I have some free time tomorrow morning."_

 _The student tackled his teacher in a tight hug. "Thank you thankyouthankyou! I'll be a good student! I'll be the best and strongest you've ever seen! I'll get up early, and show you!" He let go and started to run off. He grabbed his things and paused at the doorway. "You won't forget, right?"_

 _"I won't forget," Galacta promised._

 _Galacta left the school feeling a little more hopeful. At least he would improve the lives of a few people. Even if he was doomed to die, he felt that his life had been well spent. He began the journey home with the beginnings of a smile of his face, though it was unseen under his mask. Galacta passed through the village across from his own, the two being separated by a small lake of molten rock. It was a hot, extreme environment, true, but the knight found it invigorating. He felt so alive and in-tune with the world when he climbed the mountains, soaked in the hot springs, and flew over volcanic craters. Halcandra was ruthless, but it was home just the same._

 _Halfway through the village, an orange-garbed Halcandran approached him with haste, almost knocking over another Halcandran who immediately hissed in distaste. He recognized them as the man who spent his days making armor plates and decorative coat buttons. His cloak was decorated with sharp gear patterns of various colors, a typical design for Halcandran males. His blue eyes portrayed pain._

 _"You are Galacta, are you not? You must return home, immediately."_

 _"What happened? What's wrong?"_

 _"... Your children are sick. I'm sorry... Your wife has sent word to find you."_

 _His heart skipped a beat or maybe even two. Wasting no time, Galacta Knight spread his wings and hurried home. It was difficult to coordinate his wings and stay composed at the same time. He cleared the fiery lake before he dropped out of the sky and started running. Hot tears began to flow underneath his mask. With a final burst of speed, the knight arrived at the small structure he called home. Like all others, it was primarily made of carved beams of rock with holes drilled into it to let in fresh air and light and a thin material draped around it to keep out dust and prevent heat from being trapped inside. He burst through the beaded curtain-door and looked around for his family._

 _They had four beautiful children._

 _Now there was one._

 _He had never cried so hard before. He openly wept alongside his partner for the three children they lost. Their lives had been taken in a mere hour, the amount of time it took to get help and diagnose the problem. The death of their races had hurt, but now the pain was raw, throbbing, and merciless. Galacta lost track of time, holding his wife in one arm and cradling his surviving son in the other. Visitors called out to them, but the voices were distant and unimportant._

 _The silence was stifling. No one knew what to say, knowing well that comfort was impossible. Galacta Knight did not sleep the following night but eventually passed out from exhaustion. Nightmares waited for him. He saw nothing but suffering, death, and agony. Visions of pure horror tormented him until a soothing voice finally freed him from the terror._

 _"Galacta? Galacta? Say something, please..."_

 _A hand caressed his unmasked cheek, which he then held affectionately. "What... What time is it?"_

 _He bolted out of bed before the answer even crossed her lips. It dawned on Galacta that he promised to meet his student early this morning, and it was no doubt long past that time. His heart was not up for any sort of chore or training. He felt shattered and emptied. He sank down once more into the pile of pillows and fabric. Galacta had no desire to go out, yet he knew that the boy would be very disappointed in him. Surely word of their tragedy would be all over the villages by now. He must already know... But he had family to grieve, too. Even so, his student showed up with a smile and contagious energy._

 _Galacta eventually left the house after his wife reassured him that she and the baby would be fine. She knew how much everyone needed him. His feathers dragged on the ground, but he lacked the will to raise them as proudly as he usually did. As he made his way back to the school house, he was stopped by many people, all offering gifts of condolence and thanks for his efforts. He ended up with a basket of food and small trinkets that prompted good luck and wise dreams. He thanked everyone, trying not to let them hear his voice start to break._

 _Galacta Knight expected his student to not be there, and was surprised to see him standing in front of the building. The boy wore a fierce scowl, and his cheeks were slightly damp. Such a look made him appear old, and Galacta was then reminded of the boy's temper._

 _"Why?" He whimpered through his teeth. "You broke your promise."_

 _With a still shaken breath, Galacta quickly tried to explain. "I know, and I apologize. I needed to be with my family."_

 _"I need you, too!" He fired back quickly, crying and seething at the same time. "You're the only one I like hanging out with... Everyone else is busy, sick, or dead! And you_ _ **promised**_ _! You said you wouldn't forget, and you did!"_

 _The words stung, and Galacta did not let it slide by. "Young man, I know you have a reason to be upset, but you better watch what you say. My planet and my family are a top priority, and we are in the middle of a crisis. If you want to be a knight, then you must understand that what others need is more important than what you want."_

 _The boy's lower lip quivered, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned away and started heading out of the village._

 _"Where do you think you're going?"_

 _There was no response._

 _Anger started to boil over as Galacta marched after him. "Meta! Meta, come back here and answer me!"_

 _The blue puff finally turned around and shouted back, "Why are they more important than me?! Don't I mean anything to you?!_ _ **Who could be so important that you break a promise?!**_ _"_

\- 

**LEVEL 2  
ICE CREAM ISLAND**

"Who comes up with these names though?" Magolor asked with obvious skepticism.

Taranza used his hands to point at various locations on the map he was holding. "I think Ice Cream Island sounds cool. Everything else has food-names, too! Well... almost everything..."

Magolor frowned but allowed the subject to close. The four had left the forest behind after a final search revealed nothing. The suspects who took the Star Rod had apparently fled elsewhere, and no time could be wasted searching for them. Magolor and Taranza were trying to pinpoint possible hiding places while Marx and Galacta Knight took the lead. The two had matched their paces, neither moving faster than the other. The jester had been the leader of sorts and was not so willing to hand the position over even to someone with more experience under their belt. It was obviously going to be a problem, but there was no time to address it.

Marx was aware of how much trouble they were in, and repercussions were likely on their way. A day had passed since leaving that castle, and what they had not gone back to report anything after their discovery. True, Meta Knight told them to go ahead and solve the problem, but he had clearly not predicted something of this magnitude. The jester suspected that knights would be on their tails at any time to demand information or drag them back to the castle. He cast a side glance at Galacta Knight before quickly turning away.

Galacta had revealed useful information as they left the forest. The knight had previously been pursuing Rick, a rodent-like creature who had found the Star Rod after it had fallen out of place when Nightmare crashed into the fountain. Instead of putting it back after Nightmare was finished off, he intended to keep the artifact for himself, knowing well of the rumors of its great power. Galacta had tried to take it back both peacefully and with force. Rick then broke the rod into pieces and handed them over to his crew, the infamous "animal friends" that were known for being strong and fiercely territorial. The warrior had been chasing him for days, not eating or sleeping in order to try to corner the criminal. Unfortunately, he got ambushed and injured, which gave the opponent time to escape. Galacta admitted he probably would have died if they had not found him.

"Found a cave!" Taranza called out, getting everyone's attention. "It looks like these islands connect underground."

Magolor eyed the entrance nervously, remembering the last time he entered a cave. "Wouldn't it be easier to stay up here? I'd rather transverse the islands..."

"Can't," Marx responded bluntly. "It's fine for islands close together, but some of them are too far apart. We can't all fly, so we better keep going straight."

Galacta noticed Magolor's unease and tried to be reassuring. "Marx is right. We'll be fine with all of us together. I think this is a short cave anyway. We will be in and out before you know it. Alright?"

"O-okay," the Halcandran nervously agreed. He seemed somewhat less agitated.

They entered the first cave, which went straight down and then straight up. Before anyone had the chance to offer Marx any help, he expertly began climbing up the wall, kicking his way up and finding footholds that no one else had noticed. Magolor was pretty sure that the jester could have scaled it with sheer willpower alone. When he reached the outside, the confident smirk on his face proved it. Magolor took a big breath when they were outside again. The expansive ocean and warm sand were a welcome sight. He acknowledged with a sigh that drowning in a cave had scarred him for life.

All four scanned the shore and treeline but found no signs of the animal friends passing through. _Where did they go? Surely at least one of them passed through here..._

"Hey, hey, hey! Check it out!" Marx whispered harshly, staring straight ahead.

Off in the distance was a Sword Knight, pacing about as if to search for something. The blue-green armor was a bright beacon on the sunny island, and Magolor wondered how they could stand the heat. _Probably more willpower. Or fear of Meta Knight._ The four were hidden from view at the moment, giving them time for plot a course of action.

Marx rocked on his heels a bit, boots crunching in the sand. "Bah... I don't want trouble when I'm already looking for trouble. I knew metal-head would send someone to find us. They must be everywhere."

"Why don't we just tell them we're not ready yet?" Taranza asked, "We're closer than we were yesterday."

Marx shook his head. "Meta Knight wanted a **solution** yesterday. We don't have any proof that we've done anything productive."

"Shh! Get down!" Galacta suddenly called out, silencing the group and they huddled close together.

The Sword Knight ahead had focused their attention on something beyond their view. The four watched as a white and brown-furred creature twice their size approached the knight and pushed past them at a leisurely pace. The Sword Knight did not tolerate it and immediately attacked. Unfortunately, the warrior was no match for the animal friend, who easily picked them up and tossed them into the ocean.

"That's Rick," Galacta Knight said, "A leader of sorts for them."

Taranza shivered a bit. "What should we do? He's way bigger than us!"

"I got an idea," Marx whispered, "It's bold and kind of stupid, but it will probably work. Mag, go over there and talk to him."

Magolor gave him an incredulous look. "Are you nuts?!"

"How could that possibly help us?" Galacta argued.

Marx gave them all a confident-ish smile. "Everybody knows me, Rick fought Galacta, and _everybody_ likes Magolor. If Mago here chats him up, we can catch him by surprise! Big-T can do one of those web-trap things!"

"I don't like this plan," the knight continued. "That's a big risk."

Marx gave him a hard stare. "A big risk with a big pay out. If we catch him, we can get one piece of the Star Rod and maybe get some hints as to where the others are! What do you say, Magolor? You in or what?"

Magolor frowned and looked at the ground to avoid the eyes staring at him. "I-I guess it's worth a try. We need the Star Rod back."

Magolor noted the glaring match between Marx and Galacta Knight before nervously climbing over the rocks they had been hiding behind. Taranza gave him a reassuring pat on the back before the Halcandran hurried to catch up to Rick. The creature seemed even bigger up close, and Magolor quickly thought up a few stories to tell in order to distract him.

"H-Hey! Excuse me! Can I get some help?"

Rick stopped and turned around. Magolor expected a scowl or glare, but Rick seemed rather calm and at ease. His soft appearance was actually one of the most nonthreatening he had seen.

"Hm? Whatcha need? Never seen you before. Gotta name?" He replied with a thick accent Magolor was unfamiliar with. There was not an immediate response, and Rick chuckled a bit. "Never seen a hamster before or something?"

Magolor finally got his wits together. "Sorry, I'm just upset with myself. I'm completely lost and late for a meeting with my friends. My name is Mark, and I need to get to Orange Ocean. I was feeling stubborn this morning and thought I could get there without a map."

"Nice to meet ya, Mark," Rick said with a friendly smile. "I'm Rick, by the way. Don't you worry. I know these parts like the back of my hand! You've got a long way to go to get to Orange Ocean, though." He peered into Magolor's eyes for a moment. "Say... you seem like a good sort. I've got some pals who can show you the way. Good connections, you know? Even got a cat friend kinda like you. Better be careful at Orange Ocean, though. Knights like to prowl around there."

Magolor laughed nervously, trying to go along with what Rick was saying. "I'd definitely appreciate that, but I'm not worried. I've, uh, got some good connections myself, you know?"

Rick's beady eyes widened, apparently impressed. "By Stars, you sure do! Wasn't expecting that from a little fluff like you!" He picked up the Halcandran to get a better look at him. "I don't usually hang with that armored crowd, but you can be my buddy, okay? Two connections are better than one, am I right?"

It took a moment for Magolor to realize what he was being offered and quickly took the deal. This was even better than catching Rick. _I can get on their good side and learn where they put the Star Rod pieces!_ "Wow, how could I refuse such a generous offer?"

"That's the spirit!" Rick said, patting him on the head and putting him down. "But before you're one of us, you gotta do me a favor, alright?"

The hamster cast a wary glance around before dropping a small object into Magolor's palms. It was cylinder shaped with red and white stripes. One end was smooth, and the other was jagged and broken.

"I picked up something nice yesterday, but one those knights was on my case in an instant. I'm not giving up something this valuable to a guy like that. So, buddy, here's what I need you to do." Rick gestured a paw off into the distance. "Once you get out a here, there's a place called Butter Building. My pal, Coo, likes to roost up there. You take this there and tell him your Rick's buddy, got it? We don't want Meta Knight to have something like this, right? You take this to Coo, and I'm sure he'll give you some directions to Orange Ocean. He's the smart one, after all! You get what you need to do?"

Magolor faked a smiled, silently praying that he would not tremble. "I get it. I think I can handle it."

"Good on ya!" Rick patted Magolor roughly on the back. "Can't believe I made a new friend today! Something about you makes me want to trust you. I'm heading back home for now. Get the job done, and we'll pay you good!"

Magolor nodded quickly as Rick walked past him, heading back towards the forest. He looked down at the piece of the Star Rod for a moment. _It looks real, so I don't think he was lying._ When the hamster was long gone, the others came out of hiding. Marx ran at him, tackling him to the ground and laughing.

"Hahaha! Who would have guessed **that** would happen?! Magolor?! Joining a **gang**?! That's rich!" Marx flopped over into the sand laughing. "Oh, Mag, you're a natural! You got some of the toughest bullies on your side, **and** you got a piece of the Star Rod! Oh man, I hope the rest of this adventure is this easy!"

Taranza was giggling, too, though Galacta Knight was still thoroughly displeased. "This worked to our advantage for now, but that will change when we have all the pieces. We can't fool them forever. Marx, can't you see what you've gotten him into?"

"What's the problem? He did great!" Marx argued, not seeing the flaws of his plan.

Galacta cast a sad look at the Halcandran. "It means that whatever we do now will end in failure. If the Star Rod goes back to the fountain, the animal friends will no doubt pay us back for the betrayal. If we let Rick do as he wishes with the pieces, Meta Knight will come after us." He then glared at Marx with renewed distaste and a growing hatred. "You've thrown Magolor in the middle of two rivaling parties known for violence. If anyone gets punished for what we do, _he's first on everyone's list._ "


	16. Magolor's Adventure-The Ancients

The castle had been eerily quiet all morning. A certain irritated knight had made the staff uneasy, so activity was at a minimum. Not only had Magolor, Marx, and Taranza not returned yet, but no one had seen them either. A few knights went out to find them at dawn, but increasing activity from the "animal friend's" hordes made travel difficult. One knight did not return at all. It was only a matter of time before their rivals were stirred into action. Meta Knight sent out another party to check all the known hideouts, but they reported no signs of Squeaker activity. _Perfect. Just perfect. The last thing we need is a gang war in a time like this._ Meta Knight kept his frustration to himself. He did not want the king to suspect that anything was wrong. Everything needed to appear normal for now. Completing the Halberd would be difficult if a war started. The king would expect the knights to fight, which would slow construction even more. _I could always just kill him,_ Meta thought to himself. He had to dismiss the idea. Magolor, Marx, and Taranza liked the king, and if Dedede suddenly died, it would break down their already fragile alliance. No, he needed the king to be in charge for a while longer. And if the king is in charge, everything needed to be normal and as not-suspicious as possible. The knights were keeping everyone quiet about the lack of dreams, but they could not hold back hysteria forever. _If those three don't hurry... I might have to make changes to my plans._

-

Kirby wished that something interesting would happen, and he especially wished that Magolor would come home. _He's still gone with his stupid friends._ The pink puff had no one to play with, so he resorted to wandering the castle in search of something to do. Waddle Dees scattered in his presence, knowing that Meta Knight could be anywhere nearby, as he entered the kitchen to get a snack. A brave Dee presented Kirby with a scrumptious slice of fresh-baked strawberry cake with shaking hands. The puff's blue eyes sparkled with delight as he accepted the offering and heading out to find somewhere to sit. As soon as he was out of hearing range, there was a collective sigh of relief.

The pink puff walked around for a while, unsure where he wanted to eat his cake. The staff were not very fun to be around, and the knights were boring. Meta Knight did not eat with him anymore. Not since Mama left. Everything changed after that.

"What's wrong, Kirby? No one should look sad on a beautiful day," a voice called out. King Dedede was strolling down the hall holding a chess board in one hand and a cloth bag of the pieces in the other. "That's some lovely cake you have. Oh, that's right! There are several birthday parties today for a few of the Broom Hatter maids. It should be a fantastic reception! They work hard, after all. They deserve something nice."

Kirby looked at the cake in silence for a moment. Eventually, he responded, "I was looking for somewhere to eat. I don't have anyone to sit with..."

"Say no more," the king replied. "You can sit with me. I had just finished a chess match anyway and came in for some tea."

The puffball began to grin. "I want soda pop! Do we have any?"

"I'm sure we do," Dedede answered with a thoughtful expression. "Come along then."

The king lead the eager puff to one of the many rooms near the outer walls of the castle. These rooms were open to staff and guests, and most had a balcony with a gorgeous view of the landscape and the ocean in the distance. The king visited them often, sometimes having tea with servants accompanied by a game of chess. He was not the brightest of men, but few could best his skills in a chess match. Kirby stepped out onto the balcony and hopped into a chair. The king sat opposite of him, setting the chess board on the small table between them. He offered to teach Kirby how to play, though the boy did not pay attention very long. _Chess is stupid._ His grin had faded away as his thoughts from before returned full force. The king's company was decent, but not what he really wanted. What he wanted was something he dare not asked his father for twice. However, the need to share his feelings grew stronger.

A Waddle Dee eventually wandered in with a tray baring a tea set. Another Dee was quick to serve them. Dedede thanked them, patting their heads as their eyes sparkled with delight. Kirby stared blankly at the bubbles in his drink. The servants scuttled off to find more work to do, leaving the two alone.

"It's not enough," Kirby mumbled after a brief moment of silence.

The king set his cup down, wearing a saddened expression. "What do you mean? Do you want something to eat?"

"No," the puffball whined impatiently. "It's more than that! It's not just the food, or games, or any of those things!" He had not planned on talking about it to anyone, but if anyone would listen or help, it would definitely be Dedede.

King Dedede wore a thoughtful expression for a moment before taking a guess at the child's problem. "Are you feeling left out, Kirby? It's unfortunate that there aren't any more children here for you to play with, but there are villages with schools not too far away. I'm sure you could find some friends there."

"It's not about friends," Kirby argued further. "I have friends. I just..." He paused, looking down into his cup as if to find reassurance there.

The king put on a warm smile. "You can tell me anything, Kirby. Everyone in the castle is my family, and if something bothers you, you should tell me so I can fix it."

That was it. That was the word he was looking for all morning. Kirby sat up straighter in his seat. "That's just it... I want a family. A real family that stays together all the time! Daddy says he doesn't want anyone else, but there's no one there for me when he's busy! I want somebody to play with me, eat meals with me, and do... you know... family stuff with me!" His smile returned as his imagination took hold of him. "Like going on picnics, or reading story books, or sparring with sticks, or going to the beach!"

"That's a wonderful dream," the king agreed. "I think it would be wonderful for you to have such a constant positive influence. It would be good for Meta Knight, too. He's always so tense and buried in his work. I'm sure he can find a better half out there somewhere. So many new people have been coming here; maybe the perfect match will show up to the castle someday soon."

Kirby was ecstatic now, barely able to sit still now that someone understood and agreed with him. "Really? You think so?"

"Of course!" The king laughed and took a sip of his tea. "There's happiness out there for everyone! I'm sure you and Meta Knight can find the perfect addition to your family. You know that they will be welcome here with open arms!"

After a giggle of delight, Kirby gulped down his soda and ran for the door. The king heard a barely audible "thank you" which warmed his heart. Kirby was in high spirits now. Ideas were forming in his head, ideas of a whole family and future of fun. _But who will I pick?_ That was a hard question. It could not be just anyone. They had to be a perfect fit! He needed someone who would play with him and do whatever Meta Knight asked them to do. _Dreamland is full of people... Who would be the most fun? Who would be the most interesting? Who would Daddy like the most?_

Then it struck him as the king's words echoed through his mind.

 _"So many new people have been coming here; maybe the perfect match will show up to the castle someday soon."  
_  
 _"So many new people have been coming here."_

New people.

Kirby knew of three new people living at the castle now.

Why pick one when he can have three?

The singularity was lonely. There were no kin to share Songs with. The creatures on this new-star had no voice, communicating only by pushing sounds from their bodies into the air. They understood, but the words were tasteless and dry. They did not sing the way Songs where meant to be sung, the way of ancient times. The being waited in agonizing silence for a Song to call it home, but no rhythm spoke to it. Kin did not call. Creator did not call. It could only wait, feeling the energies of all things rush around its form as time continued to flow towards the Infinite.

It did not like the caves, but the caves were dark. The dark was safer than the sun, which burned so hot and bright. This star was not a good-star. It was dangerous, silent, and strange. The being wanted to go to the home-star, the taken-star, but Bad-Things took the home-star. Then the Bad-Things chased all the kin away. The Family lived in space now, the cold and dark. The empty but full. The living and dead. Their eyes saw everything, recorded all, and kept the Time safe. The Time was broken. The Creator made the kin to fix it. When not-kin die, the kin fix the Time that is broken. Not-kin do not know this. They would not understand. The Old-Bad-Things would frighten them too much.

New waves of energy moved above. The energy was different than the beings of the new-star. There were four, and they traveled with haste. _I feel Songs! They are weak. Are they hurt? It does not feel like kin... The Songs are strange. There is no order._ There was curiosity. The being crept out of the dark caves, leaving the soft shadows behind to explore the surface.

-

A band of knights was taking a break during their patrol of the islands. Several groups had settled down together, enjoying the shade after having explored most of the islands. They had seen no signs of trouble or their new allies. There was only a small section left to check near the boss's lair in the clouds above the islands. No one had the energy to go up there yet, and if Meta Knight was not there watching, they were going to take a break. The sun was brutal, especially up in the clouds with no protection. Granted, they all wore armor, but they absorbed all the heat and roasted the wearer. Three Axe Knights, two Trident Knights, and five Mace Knights were laying semi-contently in the shade, some chatting about their travels.

One Axe Knight sat against a tree next to a Mace Knight while staring up at the clouds. The sun was still high, but plenty of time had already been wasted with no results to report to Meta Knight. Having nothing to say was even worse than bad news. He knew they needed to find something before returning. Meta Knight ruled this land, unbeknownst to the actual king. All the knights knew this. He was the one giving orders and watching every move of every creature. The knights knew well that he would gladly make their lives miserable (or considerably shorter) if they stepped out of line. It was a hard life and an unpleasant one. _Had it always been this way? No, I don't think so,_ the Axe Knight thought to himself. Years ago, knights held no more importance or significance than a Waddle Dee. They were common and in every way ordinary. Then Meta Knight just... popped into existence. He changed everything in a day, shaping the world into his image of perfection.

The Mace Knight nudged him lightly, jarring him from his darkening thoughts. "Hey, Dmitry. You've been staring at the sky like you've seen an angry spirit."

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. It's not important," the Axe Knight quickly replied to their friend. "Sorry for ignoring you, Yulian."

A scream of terror interrupted them. The two immediately stood up and searched for their companions. The other eight knights were trembling in front of the most bizarre creature Dmitry had ever seen in his life. The black creature was almost twice their size and wearing some sort of traditional cape and utility belt, a glowing sword hanging down from it. The spikes on its head twitched as a single eye studied them intensely. _No creature like this exists on Popstar..._ Small sounds could be heard coming from it, a series of short clicks, growls, and screechy chattering that left all who heard it feeling weaker and somewhat dizzy.

A horrified Axe Knight stuttered, "Wh-what is that thing?!"

A brave but sometimes foolish Trident Knight readied her weapon. "It's easier to act first and ask questions later. That thing looks absolutely evil."

With her trident aimed at the monster, she charged forward. The group protested as she neared her target and plunged her weapon into the chest of the beast. Suddenly, she was face down in the dirt. The Trident Knight and her weapon had gone right through it, not even touching it. The creature began to back away from the larger group, its chattering getting faster and higher in pitch. Everyone immediately paused to cover their ears. The noise was dreadful and strangely mind-numbing. Dmitry watched the creature in horror as it picked up the Trident Knight, observing her carefully. He was sure that it would eat her or kill her while the others were immobilized.

"Y-you stop this!" She screamed at the creature. "Put me down, and go away! B-before we kill you!"

The creature grew quieter and tilted its head ever so slightly. It put her down gently. They all stared in silence as the creature seemed to calm down and lose interest in them. The eye darted around the area before settling on the cloud world above them. The creature flew up soundlessly, leaving the knights both relieved and puzzled. They each exchanged a terrified look as the numbness faded. _Would this be a good report or a bad one?_

-

The clouds hanging low above the islands were cool and comforting. Taranza enjoyed being up in the sky like this, much more so than the others. Magolor grew increasingly nervous, and both Marx and Galacta Knight had fallen into a stubborn silence. He wished that they would at least try to get along. The spider was quickly distracted again as the group continued on their journey to their next goal: Butter Building. He could not suppress a smile while thinking of the all the food-related names. Taranza found it as amusing as it was adorable, though his companions did not hold that sentiment.

The bright fluffy clouds were occasionally broken up by towers leading back down the the islands and some small rounded buildings that looked a bit like houses. How one could build a house on clouds was a mystery to him, but they were interesting nonetheless. Without much thought, Taranza would occasionally peek inside. Most were empty, though there was the occasional food item which he would leave alone. _We pick things up sometimes, but this might be someone's house. I don't want to take things from a house._

"Yo, T! Hurry up!" Marx's irritated voice called back to him.

Taranza called back as he looked around an empty room one more time, "I'm coming!"

He rushed out of the dainty little house he was exploring and noted that his friends were ahead of him, talking about something. Taranza was about to join them when one of his eyes caught a glimpse of something dark behind him. He turned around quickly, trying to find what it was. _Where did it go?_

"Hello? Hello? Where did you go?"

After the last word left his lips, a dark shape barely peeked out from behind the building. A single red eye was staring at him blankly (he assumed it was blankly). It was wearing some manner of foreign clothes and making some strange sounds. _It sounds like grumbling and... music?_ Among the hazy chatter was the distinct sound of something musical. Vocal or instrumental, he could not tell. Taranza approached the creature without another thought.

"Hello! Is this your house? I didn't touch anything there. I promise." He grinned as he went right up to the creature, ignoring personal space as usual. "I'm Taranza! Nice to meet you! What's your name? Why are you singing? You sound _weird._ "

The creature tilted it's head and emitted a high-pitched sound that reminded Taranza of a violin that needed to be properly tuned. Buried underneath the strange sounds, he could almost make out a few words, but they were lost in the music and chattering. The spider put two pairs of hands on his hips and gave the creature an annoyed look.

"I couldn't understand that at all! Can you use words, please? And you haven't told me your name yet!"

The other party seemed more interested in watching Taranza than trying to clarify. It hovered in place for the most part, occasionally moving in a circle around him. The spider did not need to move to see what they did, given that he had four eyes in front and back. It seemed to be only curious. The thing was certainly odd, but it did not seem dangerous either. _Maybe it just wants a friend?_ He brightened at the idea, and his bright smile returned.

"If you can't tell me your name, I'll just give you one!" He paused only a short moment. "It should be something nice, like... waffles! Everyone loves waffles! I'll call you Mr. Waffle: my new friend!"

He reached up a hand to pat the creature's spiky head, finding it surprisingly smooth. His self-proclaimed friend did not protest, its eye crinkling slightly in amusement. _I can't wait to show everyone else! They'll love this! I'm sure of it,_ Taranza thought to himself. They could use some good news. Maybe that would put his tense friends at ease as they continued to search for the Star Rod pieces.

-

The being watched as Theraphosidae continued to speak and bounce with excitement. It was one of the most unusual not-kin it had ever seen. Not only could it hear the Songs (somewhat), but it was unafraid. It did not fear as all others feared. It was even brave enough to touch them and present them with a gift-title. It was strange but not unpleasant. Contact was reassuring, even if it came from not-kin.

The creature poked them to get its attention. "Mr. Waffle, come meet my friends! They're over there!"

It recognized the gift-title again, wondering if this was common practice for not-kin. The being decided to go along with it. Kin had no need for titles. They knew each other by mind-touch. They were all bound together as Family. It deduced that not-kin simply could not do this and gave gift-titles to each other as a substitute. It came to the conclusion that it must call the Theraphosidae something to be fair. Unable to think creatively, they decided to call the creature what it was defined as by nature, its true name.

It poked the creature in the same manner it had a moment ago and tried to communicate as best as it could. " _Theraphosidae._ "

The creature paused, eyes wide. Suddenly, it clapped its hands together, radiating good-energy. It was... "happy." It had heard the Songs properly this time. It grabbed a corner of their robes and pointed ahead of them. In the distance, there was a group of three very different creatures. _Shouldn't not-kin be with their own kin?_ There was no mistake. Theraphosidae lead the being closer to the creatures. As they neared, it studied them closer in curiosity.

It naturally focused on Felidae first. Its head was clasped by the Danger-Claws, one of the Old-Bad-Things. It almost panicked, but the being relaxed upon realization that its bad-energies were dormant and focused on the host-creature. It was small, wrapped in mixed energies. It was strong but also afraid. They had not seen Felidae from the Fire in a long time. The Fire was a taken-star, too. Next, they focused on Bovidae, the smallest creature. Its defining features were hidden by color-cloths, and the air around it shook with energy. It was a fierce beast with anger hiding good-energy deep within. It stayed closer to Felidae than the other creature. Finally, there was Avialae, the oldest. It's energies were smoother than the others, more in tune with itself. Deep within were tones of the worst pain: loss. The being pitied Avialae. Their beings were singing the same Song. Its fears had been correct. More than the Family were in danger of the Bad-Things.

All three stiffened when the being drew closer. Their energies rose to the same frequency, sending Songs of fear through the air that only the being could feel. Felidae backed away while the others prepared to defend themselves. Instincts caused the being to emit Songs of Calming in order to avoid conflict. It would not dare fight so close to the Claws. It feared the Claws and anything strong enough to use it. The Song caused Bovidae to stagger, and Availae fell to their feet. They could not hear properly. Felidae did not move, unaffected.

Theraphosidae flew between them all. "Guys, don't fight! Please!"

"What... is that thing?!" Bovidae hissed dangerously, revealing sharp fangs.

"Don't talk like that," the first creature interrupted, "You'll upset Mr. Waffle!"

Availae struggled to stand and held themselves up with a weapon. "I know a Dark Matter when I see one... We need to run!"

"But..." Theraphosidae looked down, Songs of Despair wafting through the air. "He didn't do anything to me earlier... and he hasn't done anything to me or Magolor... I think he's lost. Can't we keep him? Please?"

Too much conflict. The being was aware that all were now displeased. It had been curious to see these not-kin, but that feeling was gone now. These creatures were strange and dangerous. _I should leave. The not-kin are dangerous. They have the Danger-Claws. The Claws came from Evil and Old-Bad-Things. I do not want to be around those. I must leave them._ The being would have liked to study them further but declared the risk too great.

They all paused when the being gave Theraphosidae a pat on the head similar to what it had done to them earlier. The creature was happy again, but that changed when they turned to leave. The being heard the creature call out before it descended into the clouds.

"G-goodbye, Mr. Waffle! Be careful! Come visit us! Write to us! Watch out for grumpy knights!"

A Song of Despair. One of many. There was sympathy and empathy. The being would find them again. It would watch out for the Claws. If the Claws had been found, the other Old-Bad-Things from Evil might have been found as well.


	17. Magolor's Adventure-Home

"Do you want me to paint you a lovely portrait, bro?"

"No, I want directions."

"I could paint you, bro!"

"I want to get to the Butter Buildings."

"Or your friends, bro!"

"Butter Building."

"You know what, bro? You guys need a lovely portrait."

" R-"

"Gee, I haven't had visitors in so long, bro!"

" G!"

"It's done! What do you think, bro?"

"Stars above, someone _kill_ me!"

Progress was being made... Slowly but surely. The semi-cooperative quartet had finally reached the home of the next guardian, Paint Roller. The artist had been ecstatic about receiving company for the first time in a long time. The four were quickly invited into his home among the towers above the Ice Cream Islands. Though, it would have been more accurate to call it a livable canvas than just a home. Shelves were full of paint buckets, and easels lined the walls with finished works, some holding hasty doodles while others held delicate paintings that conveyed a surprising level of skill and passion. Magolor thought the guy was a bit too quirky at times, but he clearly did not mean them any harm. Paint Roller seemed a bit lonely and no doubt wanted to find excuses for them to stay.

Naturally, Marx did not get along with him. Magolor never expected him to, of course. The jester had been barking at him for about an hour now, trying to get information out of the overenthusiastic artist. As Paint Roller spoke, he would draw shapes and creatures that immediately popped off the canvas and bounced around them. Magolor never imagined such a thing to be possible. He automatically flinched when drawn Waddle Dees and objects wandered too close. As opposed as usual, Taranza was thoroughly delighted by the living art. He would talk to them, pet them, and try to pick them up. _Of course, nothing ever bothers him._ _I wish I had his confidence... Then again, I don't think it's a good idea to be brave enough to befriend one-eyed demon monsters..._

Since Marx was making no progress, Galacta Knight eventually intervened and approached the guardian politely. "Pardon us, sir. Your work is truly admirable, but we are in the middle of a crisis and in a bit of a hurry."

"Hm? A real crisis, bro?" The artist stopped rolling around and faced the knight, casting a side glance at the other three. "Are your kids sick or something?"

He flinched. " _No._ We have a very important delivery to make to a friend. There may be grave consequences if we don't get there quickly."

"Why didn't you just say so, bro? I know a short cut," Paint Roller replied, gliding backwards in a carefree manner towards a doorway opposite of them. "Roll on down the hall, take the slide down to the docks, and sail my boat to the mainland, bros! Keep on truckin' on the main roads for a few hours and you'll hit a sign pointing you to Butter Buildings, but that will take a whole day, bros. Instead, you should totally take the first side path you see! It takes you between the mountains instead of over them! Pretty sweet, right bros?"

Marx narrowed his eyes at him. "What's the catch? Short cuts always have a catch."

"Knights camp out there sometimes, bro," the artist laughed nervously and looked down in embarrassment. "It's faster but more dangerous."

"We aren't concerned about them," Galacta assured him. "Thank you very much. We really appreciate this."

The comment about knights did not sit well with the guardian. "Oh... You bros work for... _him_?"

"We really need to get moving," Marx cut in, "We're wasting time."

Paint Roller's orange face paled as he moved out of their way and pointed to the exit. "R-right. Uh... I guess this is the part where I tell you bros not to cause trouble or else. Us guardians have to keep our lands safe, bros. Our people are upset enough already." He took a moment to stare at them, searching for any hint of deceit. "All people are upset actually... No one can dream, and it's making all my bros tense." __

He reluctantly sent them away. They claimed to be on an important mission, which he hoped and suspected to be tied the strange happenings across Popstar. Paint Roller watched them go, wondering how such a group could have come together and gotten tangled in such a mess. All four were clearly determined, but there was definitely something strange under the surface. Was it malicious? No. Intentionally harmful? Doubt it. Likely to cause trouble in the future? Absolutely. Paint Roller had painted and studied many faces throughout his lifetime protecting the Ice Cream Islands. While they were an unusual bunch, he saw no evil in them... _but they were definitely in way over their heads._

-

The structure itself looked impossible at the moment. Butter Buildings dwarfed the sky towers from the islands, endlessly stretching outward. It was essentially a city, something uncommon on Popstar, which was dominated by hardly-tamed wilderness. They were already exhausted from the journey there, and the thought of conquering such a beast was even more taxing. The sun had set as the group passed through the mountains, as per the guardian's directions, silently walking past an empty knight's camp. It was well into the night when they reached the base of the buildings. They all sat on the cold white cobblestone walkway leading to the main entrance, sprawled out and weary at the sight of their next endeavor.

"I don't want to move at all," Taranza complained loudly, "We haven't stopped all day!"

Magolor was quick to agree. "I think we need to find somewhere safe to rest. If we have to get into a fight or get caught, we won't win in this condition..."

"You're right," Galacta Knight relented, though he would rather stay on the move. "We can probably set up a decent camp over-"

"We're not camping out here," Marx stated, shooting a glare at the knight. " _You probably didn't know,_ but there are tons of empty rooms in this place. We block off the door, and it's ours. I'm not sleeping in the dirt with you dweebs again. I want an actual bed and sturdy walls. We'd be a lot safer in there than out here."

The inevitable had come, and Galacta politely fired back. "I understand, but none of us don't know what's in there. If we corner ourselves, one ambush could kill us all."

"So then we'd try again next time," the jester replied with smirk, purposely showing off his fangs. "Now let's move. I'm tired."

Marx then entered the building without hesitation. As always, the conversation was over when he decided it was over. One by one, the others followed, Magolor being the first and Galacta Knight being the last. Taranza seemed to ignore the tense exchange. He was more interested in finding somewhere safe to sleep.

The were met with enemies upon entry, but Marx and Galacta moved into action first without hesitation. The jester's fighting style was unpredictable and aggressive, contrary to the knight's equally strong but more fluid movements. While they handled most of the actual fighting, Taranza and Magolor made their jobs easier by managing the fight. Using his ability to levitate freely, the Halcandran could easily distract opponents while safely out of their reach as he herded them towards the warriors. The spider, being highly skilled in magic, could trap any sneaky foes and put them in a well deserved time-out (they could not avoid being spotted by his many eyes). Working together in this manner allowed them to explore quickly and effectively. Before they knew it, they had traveled halfway through the city's tallest building. Just in time, they eventually happened upon a large storage room. At Marx's instruction, the doorway was sealed with an assortment of blocks and dusty furniture.

With a safe zone secured, the group began to settle for the night. Marx did not sit still long. After ten minutes of uncomfortable silence, the jester insisted on scouting the immediate area for anything useful they may have missed. The tenseness in the room did not sit well with Magolor either, who chose to go find extra food. Taranza and Galacta Knight were left to hold their claim until they returned, though intrusion was unlikely given that the room was dusty from disuse. With nothing else to do, Galacta leaned against the wall and began a few doodles in his old sketchbook. As a rough sketch began to take shape, the knight's thoughts slowly drifted to the issues ahead.

Galacta was not sure how to approach Marx. The jester had a tough and immature exterior, though he suspected that the opposite was true inside. He had to be at least somewhat compassionate to be willing to endure two trips around Popstar, gang wars, and Meta Knight's antics just for Magolor and Taranza's sake. As far as he could tell, Marx had no goals in life. He cared for little, maybe not even himself. There was more to Marx than meets the eye though, but he would probably rather die than show that to Galacta Knight. He needed to know more, just enough to know how to avoid further arguments. He wanted to help this planet, but the task would be difficult alone. In that department, his only options were to talk to Taranza or Magolor. Magolor was out of the question. Galacta could hardly look in his direction. Taranza liked to talk, though. About anything. And almost everything else. However, he was not as foolish as he looked. The spider would gladly report to Marx if he were suspicious. The three were obviously close and always looking out for each other. Galacta was still new and not quite part of their... what was it actually? _Back home, such a group would be called a "burrow," but that title would imply more heart and bonds that were unbreakable. Is "herd" or "pack" more appropriate here?_ Regardless, Marx was clearly a leader of sorts, and there would doubtlessly be consequences if he knew that Galacta was questioning his subordinates. At least Taranza seemed to like him well enough. As long as he was careful, he might learn something that could get him on better terms with the jester.

Taranza was sitting in the floor, tracing invisible lines on the map. The task was technically pointless, but the repetitiveness of the activity seemed to satisfy him. Galacta Knight sat down in front of him but chose not to interrupt. He watched the spider moving his hands across the map several times before he realized that he was tracing the course they traveled, from the beginning at Castle Dedede all the way to Butter Buildings. _Is he tracking distance? Time? Or maybe just the path we chose?_

This went on for another ten minutes before Taranza looked up and gave him a smile. "Hm? Did you need something?"

"Not really," Galacta began, "You seemed busy, and it might have been important."

Taranza straightened out the map and pointed at the castle near the middle. "It's really far away now, and we still have a long way to go. I hope finding the other Star Rod pieces will be as easy as the first one."

"I'm impressed with how well you three have done," the knight admitted sincerely, "Traveling Popstar is difficult, but you make it almost seem easy."

The spider playfully shoved his arm. "Don't be silly! It wasn't easy _at all!_ It's only possible when we work together!"

Galacta Knight thought that this would be a good chance to steer the subject in his intended direction. "Taranza, you know Marx pretty well, right?"

"Yeah," Taranza replied as he smoothed out the map again.

"Since I'm still getting to know you all, and Marx is a very busy guy, maybe you can tell me more about him," he ventured, hoping that he would get some answers.

The young man shifted uncomfortably and kept his gaze on the map. "Um... I don't- I don't know. He doesn't talk about himself... and he doesn't like it when people talk about him either."

"I understand that he probably advised against that," he added quickly, "but he won't let me get to know him. He's determined to hate me. If I could at least find some common ground, maybe we can get along. You don't have to tell me any terrible secrets, but I need to know _something_ about him. Marx will certainly never tell me."

Taranza's blank look turned into a frown. "Asking things behind his back is cheating. It's not right."

Galacta bit his lower lip, knowing this was going nowhere. He switched tactics and lightened his tone even more, like talking gently to a child. "I'm sure it won't upset Marx much if you told me something. Please, Taranza. I don't want to start an argument every time I open my mouth." When the spider maintained a blank yet slightly displeased expression, he started to lose hope. "Do you understand what I mean? I can make it simpler for you-"

Taranza pushed him to the ground viciously, fangs bared too close for comfort. "You-! You-! **ARGH!** People like you make me so _angry_! You think I'll do whatever you want and say whatever you want because I'm not as quick as the others! You think I don't get it, _but I do!_ I'm not stupid! I don't want to talk to you anymore! Go away and leave me alone!"

Reacting on instinct, the knight dodged out of the way and made for the door. He squeezed past the blockade and did not pause until he entered a different room. _Gods, I'm an idiot. Now two of my allies hate me._ Galacta berated himself for letting his desperation get in the way of doing the right thing. Impatience lead him to insult Taranza. _The darkness on this planet is affecting me... I'm bullying children now. I've forgotten my training. You can't make a wild bird come to you. To hold it, you must wait for it to accept you first._ The wise teachings of his former chief and father-in-law had guided him far in life, and the knight was ashamed to acknowledge just how much he had forgotten during his time on Popstar.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Galacta turned swiftly, a hand naturally prepared to draw his lance. Magolor flinched, nearly dropping the food he had just gathered from the floor above them. The knight took a breath and stilled himself, making a half-turn as to not face the Halcandran directly. "Pardon me, I didn't realize it was you."

"It's-It's okay," Magolor laughed nervously, "I'm on edge here myself. What are you doing out here? You were supposed to- well... you and Taranza were in charge of watching our base..." He did not want to directly accuse the knight of abandoning his post, but he thought it was definitely strange for Galacta to just be standing around elsewhere.

"I needed to step out for a moment," the knight replied shortly.

Magolor paused for further explanation but did not get one. This was the most Galacta Knight had ever even spoken to him. _Does he hate me or something?_ Magolor had noticed early on that the knight avoided being around him, speaking to him, and even looking at him. Try as he might, he could not think of anything he had done to deserve such a shutdown. It had been Magolor's decision, after all, to save his life. _I didn't do anything wrong... Just a little gratitude would be kind of nice... He's treating me like I'm a disease or something horrible..._

"Do you consider Marx a friend?"

The question was so soft and quiet that Magolor nearly missed it. "Of course. He can be hard to get along with, but that's just how he is. He likes everyone to think that he's tough. N-not that he isn't! Believe me, he can take care of himself."

"Hehe... I've noticed," he muttered in response.

"He won't talk to you, will he?" Magolor took a guess at what inspired the sudden conversation. "I'd rather not say things behind his back. Just give him more time, okay? He'll come around eventually."

Galacta had his back turned to him. "Time isn't exactly on our side, and we're diving head first into trouble. There's no good ending to what we're doing," the knight said honestly, "You know that, right?"

The Halcandran shifted uncomfortably before taking a deep breath. "Yeah... I know, but I've been through quite a few challenges already. I can do it again."

The knight's good wing relaxed and drooped slightly. "She said the same thing," he said wistfully.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Don't worry about it." He immediately changed the subject. "How is your training? Are you getting more in control of your powers?"

"I think so," he warily replied, aware more than ever that something strange was going on.

A one-sided conversation ensued, where Magolor described the few fights he ran into while gathering food. He had learned to create small orbs of energy in his hands to throw at enemies. He had discovered this accidentally when trying to push an aggressive Waddle Doo out of his way. He had a creeping suspicion that the crown could do more, but it would no doubt take a while to figure out how it all worked. The thought of being more useful in battle was thrilling to him, though there was a bit of fear as well. Galacta made no comments as he got wrapped up in his newest revelation. At some point, Galacta Knight simply left him there mid-sentence. Magolor gaped for a moment, searching for some possible explanation as to why he was being treated this way.

He eventually gave up and began lugging his cargo back to their base. Only Taranza was there, and he must have fallen asleep at some point. Magolor suddenly remembered just how tired he was from their long day, dropped the bag in a corner, and collapsed in a pile of old blankets and pillows. His troubles temporarily faded as the softness and exhaustion lulled him into a deep sleep.

-

 _Taranza wrung a pair of his hands nervously as he waited by her door. Another pair cradled a bouquet of pink flowers (the queen's favorite) behind his back. Today was the big day. After much consideration, he finally decided that he was ready to ask what the others called "the big question." A few others said "the ball and chain," but he did not like how that sounded. Those people were quickly silenced though, usually by a crowd of squealing maids. When Taranza first mentioned proposing to Sectonia to her most trusted servants, they were in fits with excitement. Suddenly, everyone knew about it, and he started getting tips and reassurance from everyone he walked passed._

 _With everything he learned still in his mind, Taranza hoped he was prepared. The queen was precious to him, so everything had to be perfect. It had been arranged for them to have a nice dinner together. Months in advance, he made sure that important work was completed and that the kingdom was patrolled and running smoothly. It was hard work by himself, but he wanted to make sure that his queen would have no worries while she made her decision. He would provide the perfect evening for her. Her favorite foods, a walk through her rose garden, and star gazing... Taranza would make sure she was happy, then he would ask for her hand and promise to make sure she always stayed happy. He wanted to see her smile forever and to smile at her forever. She had changed his life, given him a purpose, and showed her whole kingdom that that he was capable. Sectonia made life worth living._

 _Taranza steeled himself and knocked on the door to her private chambers. His heart was hammering in his chest as he heard the doorknob turn, and-_

Taranza opened his eyes to the storage room and immediately shut his eyes again and covered them with his hands. Flashing images of blurred faces rocked his mind as an unbearable headache threatened to drive him to tears. The struggle was brief, and the pain quickly subsided. Taranza breathed heavily as he tried to make sense of what just happened. That dreamlike sequence could not have been a dream. Dreams would not be possible until the Star Rod was back on the fountain. The spider froze in place as more of the fog left his mind, taking some of the details with it. _My... My amnesia is fading. I'm_ _ **remembering**_ _!_ A wide grin came to his face as he put together what little facts he got from his first memory. He was from a kingdom unlike anything he had seen so far on Popstar, he worked in a castle... and he was in love with someone important. Try as he might, no names or faces came to mind. He only knew that this person was amazing beyond words, and his cheeks felt warm thinking of them and how wonderful they were.

This realization brought emptiness. He had no idea how long he had been gone. _Is anyone looking for me? Are they waiting for me?_ His heart broke at the thought of being assumed dead and forgotten. Or worse, his beloved mourning him while he still lived. More tears fell as he curled up tight in his bed of abandoned clothes and blankets. There was nothing he could do. He had no way of finding his home. In all of Marx's tales of his journeys around Popstar and stories of other planets, he had never described what Taranza saw in his memories. Wherever that magical kingdom lies, it was far away.


	18. Magolor's Adventure- Dethroned

" _Awake!_ "

Magolor was still half asleep when he distantly heard a voice speaking to him. He suspected that Marx was messing with him or begging for a midnight snack again and started to sink back into the land of sleep. He moved his hands to either side of him where Marx and Taranza would usually be. His companions were in their usual places, curled up next him, as was their habit. He relaxed to the steady sound of even breathing and felt the world around him start to fade away. He was almost asleep when the voice sounded again.

" _I command you to wake!_ "

His eyes snapped open when he realized that the masculine voice was foreign to him. He carefully lifted himself to a sitting position. The dusty storage room had not changed. Their supplies were still in the corner of the room, Marx and Taranza's beds were empty after they had moved during the night, and Galacta Knight was sound asleep on his own pile of abandoned blankets. The barricade at the entrance that kept them safe had not moved.

" _Behold me, my mortal champion! Bask in my divine presence and bow to me!_ "

The now booming voice did not stir the others at all, though it made Magolor's ears ring. It was definitely coming from somewhere in the room. The Halcandran looked around rapidly for the source but still found nothing. All was still and silent beyond the yelling in his mind.

"W-who's there?" He whispered into the darkness. He felt about as silly as he did confused and frightened.

A golden light flashed above him. " _I am here._ "

"Where?" Magolor looked up at the ceiling and saw nothing.

The voice growled in irritation, "O _n your head, fool!_ "

"T-the crown?" The Halcandran shivered as he whispered, "You can talk?"

If it had eyes, they would have rolled. " _Obviously. Now that I have regained some power, we may speak. Though I suggest you speak with more respect._ "

Magolor took a deep breath. _This is... unexpected?_ He glanced at his companions once more to make sure they were sleeping soundly before quietly slipping out of bed. Squeezing past the barricade of broken furniture, the Halcandran left their base and only traveled a short distance from the door, far enough to not immediately wake his friends but still close enough to call for help. He refused to go too far just in case something went wrong. Given their luck so far, he was sure that a talking crown with a big ego was a bad thing. _Is it alive? What does this mean? Why would a crown be able to talk, and why would the Lor give something like this to me? Why would the Lor even have it?_ Magolor had never considered such a thing. He never imagined that the crown could be anything more that a magical weapon. Obviously, the object's history and purpose were more complicated. It spoke just like a person, though in the manner of a person with a superiority complex. The crown's tone was quite different than any that Magolor had heard from creatures on Popstar. Despite the irritation, it had a somewhat mellow tone of indifference and a soft ethereal rumble that was reminiscent of someone humming a simple tune.

" _Are you done panicking,_ " the crown interrupted, " _because we are running out of time, and I have important work to do that I cannot do without your help._ "

Magolor pulled himself out of his thoughts and tried to think coherently. "Hold on! I didn't even know you were a... a living thing! Can't you start from the beginning? What's even happening right now? Why do you talk? Why only now?!"

The spikes of the crown clamped down harder on his skull to silence him. " _Be quiet! I cannot speak with you long, for it will no doubt attract attention. There is no time for my personal history! Unless you would rather continue your mission in vain, you will heed me!_ "

"My mission?" Magolor glanced at the barricaded door while wincing in pain. "You mean the Star Rod or me?"

He swore that the crown flinched. " _There are more important matters than that. Those vile weapons should remain as they are: broken or destroyed._ " Magolor heard a sigh whisper through his mind like a breeze. " _Magolor,_ _ **the universe is dying, and you are all being played for fools.**_ _Things are not as they should be. Everything is different... and I intend to take advantage of this opportunity! I cannot do this alone._ " The crown's golden light grew brighter. " _I have chosen you, mortal, to be my champion! Together, we must rewrite history! Everything will be corrected! Properly, of course._ "

This was too much for him to process. Magolor stammered a few times before he found his voice again, "What... What does that even mean?! Why is the universe dying? Who's messing with us? How could I possibly change history?!"

" _Hmm... How could I make you understand?_ " The crown shifted as much as its fixed position could allow. " _Do you understand the concept of timelines?_ "

 _What?_ "Uh, I think so. You mean the course of recorded history, right?"

" _Imagine,_ " the crown began, " _that this timeline is not the first. Where you are right now is not original. You are not the original Magolor. Imagine that, originally, you lead a completely different life in a different timeline. Do you understand?_ "

Magolor tried his best to follow along, though he was not sure where this was going. "I guess... An alternate version of myself and... everything? That's just theoretical. Why does that matter?"

" _Simple but correct nonetheless,_ " the crown grumbled in distaste while ignoring his question, " _Now imagine that someone with great power decided that the original was not... err... quite to their taste. It did not play out the way they thought was best. That powerful being then made a new timeline. It started out the same, but grew more different as they changed small details_ _ **.**_ _One seemingly insignificant detail can change everything else._ "

Magolor was frozen in place when the fog of sleep left his mind completely, allowing the new information to hit him full force. _Our world... our lives? It's all fake? That can't be!_ His mind reeled as he thought about and re-thought about everything he had ever experienced. He felt real. Everything looked real. _How could it possibly be a lie? This must be some kind of trick! We don't have time for this!_ They were already in enough trouble dealing with the animal friends, Meta Knight, and this new mysterious knight that Marx wants to pick fights with. The claims were too outrageous to be true. Another thought struck him suddenly. _Could the crown be evil? Is it trying to trick me into doing something terrible? Maybe that's why I've been so short tempered lately... It's influencing me!_

"You must be wrong," he finally stated, "I don't believe you! I have no reason to trust you anyway! I shouldn't listen to you at all! I don't know why I even tried! I'm done listening to this. I'm going back to bed."

The spikes of the crown rapidly tapped on his skull. " _You fool! This time was uncalled for, but it can be used to correct the mistakes of the original!_ " Magolor felt some hollow emotion sink to the pit of his stomach. " _I lost everything! I even lost my own life! If we act soon, we can change everything! You can be a hero, mortal. A powerful one! In return for your service, I will reward you with your hearts every desire!_ "

"Not interested," Magolor replied flatly as he turned back towards the base. "Bribery only works on Marx."

Actual fear emanated from the crown, and shiver flowed up Magolor's spine. " _I am trustworthy, mortal! I swear upon it! I can prove it to you! I can fulfill a task for you now in exchange for cooperation! My power is beyond comprehension. My knowledge is boundless! I put my power of a god in you hands!_ "

Magolor almost ignored it. Almost. He thought about what the crown described more. _A powerful being... the power of a god... Timelines... Is it worth the risk? If all of this is true..._ "I'll consider listening further on one condition."

" _Ask your price,_ " the young god eagerly replied, " _you will receive what you want._ "

He took a deep breath, not knowing if he was actually doing the right thing. He gripped his cape with one hand and made the other into a fist. "If your knowledge is boundless... give me the information I'm search for. I want to know where I'm from, who my family is, and why I was brought to Popstar by the Lor Starcutter."

" _I suspected you would want that above other things,_ " the crowned hissed in a smug manner. " _It would have been wiser to ask for lasting peace or the death of a powerful foe, but you always bow to your own selfishness, don't you? I have some of that knowledge, but one of you companions has more._ " He continued before Magolor could interrupt. " _Wake the pink knight. Ask him about the chief's daughter and the three small graves. He will give you the knowledge you seek._ "

The light of the crown suddenly went out, and the voice faded away. _Is the crown sleeping?_ Magolor was about to ask more questions when a strange gurgling in his left ear caught his full attention. He turned and jerked back as he was face to face with a strange one-eyed creature sitting calmly next to him. He backed away as he recognized that thing Taranza had befriended and named "Mr. Waffle." It made no move to attack or get closer. The caped being simply watched him, still murmuring the strange noises. Occasionally he thought he could hears words, but Magolor had a difficult time processing them. The noise had a musical quality to it, though it was near impossible to describe exactly what it sounded like. _Is this what the crown meant by "attracting attention?" It must be related to this thing. That can't be good... Why can't I catch a break for once?!_ It did not appear dangerous. If anything, the creature seemed somewhat wary of Magolor.

In order to keep the peace, Magolor decided to be friendly. "H-hello. You're Taranza's friend, right? Mr. Waffle?"

The Dark Matter gave no signal that it understood, and it did not reply. The Halcandran tried again, "Um... Is the crown bothering you? It didn't seem to want you around either. Is there something important you need to tell me? About the crown? Or something else?"

The creature made more of the baffling sounds that he could not understand. Suddenly, the crown awoke again and added its own commentary, " _The mortals cannot understand you like that. If you must bother us, at least be clear._ "

The creature grew more agitated, shivering and flaring its spikes. " _BAD!_ " The crown suddenly translated the noise directly to Magolor's mind. The Dark Matter's voice was not a smooth as the crown's but was just as rhythmic and deep. " _Back to sleep! Back now! Danger Claws bad and go away!_ "

"Uh," Magolor stumbled while trying to think of an actual response, "What... exactly do you mean by that?"

" _Danger! Danger! Claw banished here and sleep,_ " the creature hissed in explanation, though Magolor was struggling to understand it.

The crown sighed, " _This is the best I can do for you. Our voices are difficult to translate. We are the oldest things to exist. Your frivolous languages are far too limiting._ "

Magolor groaned and massaged his temples. _This is too much to take at once... and I don't even believe most of it!_ Mr. Waffle was still glaring at the crown, and the Halcandran could feel a similar anger stirring in the object sitting on his head. Anger and something difficult to identify... He sensed that hollow feeling again, as if something important were missing. While Magolor sat there is a daze, the two continued to converse in his head.

" _Bad Claw never listen. Make Creator sad,_ " the Dark Matter commented sourly, wanting to strike a nerve.

It succeeded. The crown struggled to not overexert and crush its host's head. " _You! You! You insolent, vile, useless, retched servant! You are pathetic, tiny, and useless compared to me!_ "

" _Good enough for Eldest,_ " the creature added, obviously smiling on the inside.

" _I AM GOOD ENOUGH!_ " The screech woke Magolor from his stupor. The shout made his body ache with sadness and pain as the crown tightened its grip. The crown's voice tapered off to a whisper. " _I am good enough... I am strong..._ "

Both of them were quiet for a moment before the swordsman calmly asked, " _Then tell sorry. Why not home before?_ "

Magolor barely heard the response through a cloud of fog. " _After all this time? You think I can just go right up to Him and apologize? And be_ _ **forgiven**_ _? I will not go back. Not yet. I will go when there is a home to go back to. In fact, I can use this mortal right here for that. Do not interfere! I can use him to save our kind and earn my pardon._ "

The eye of the creature looked hopeful for a moment before it shook its head. " _Creator say no change. This world for mortals. They make us go, we go._ "

" _I know,_ " the crown responded with a bitter tone of disappointment, " _and that is why I will not go back. If no one else will strike back against the mortals who seek to tear this world apart, then I will do something about it myself. Magolor, can I count on you to- huh?!_ "

The crown had not realized he had been gripping Magolor too hard until the Halcandran started to pass out. The spikes of the crown released in a panic, and at the same time, the Dark Matter grabbed at the object. After being locked onto Magolor's head for a year, it was so easily plucked off and dropped at his side. Its light faded, dead to the world. The Dark Matter steadied Magolor and kept him from falling down. It murmured something softly to him, but the words were once again scrambled. The creature carefully picked him up and quickly flew him back to his companions.

It pitied him. This realm was a gift from the Creator. It was theirs to maintain or destroy. Mr. Waffle missed the home-star, but it had no right to stay there if mortals decided to take it. It ignored the Master Crown's words, though it did retrieve the object and place it among the four mortals things. It pitied him, too. Youngest Brother was bitter, selfish, and never fully satisfied. The two were a perfect match.

As it lay the crown next to a worn bag, it began to scream into the night, " _Fool! Put me back quickly! He will die without my powers maintaining him! All these planets are infected! It's still in the f-_ "

The words were ignored. The Dark Matter drifted to the window and filled the night air with its call. When Dark Matter faced a problem, they sought numbers. This was definitely a growing issue that one swordsman cannot solve. For the first time, an answer came. Within minutes, another Dark Matter swordsman flung itself from the vastness of space and through the window, plowing face first into the floor in a clumsy manner. The smaller matter quickly picked itself up and observed. All Dark Matter were identical, though they often varied in size. This new Matter was more similar in height to the four than the Matter that called for its presence. Mr. Waffle shared its knowledge through sound, updating its kin on the situation. With Master active again, the others were likely waking as well and preparing to cause trouble. These mortals needed help and protection. **The war was beginning.**

When the kin set its eye on the four sleeping mortals, it squealed with delight in a high-pitched voice and hovered towards them. "BABIES! OH IT'S BABIES! Wanna hold the babies!"

Mr. Waffle quickly teleported itself and its kin out of the room to shush it. " _Careful!_ " It spoke in its natural song. " _Do not wake!_ "

"But babies!" The kin spoke in common tongue as it bobbed up and down, "Oh gosh, I love the babies! Lemme hold them!"

The larger matter shook its head. " _No. Stay this area. We watch the Claws. Master is angry. Must careful._ "

"Okayokay," the kin sighed, "Stay and watch for trouble... but then hold the babies, right?" It then nodded to itself in confirmation. "Yes, yes. Take care of babies."

Mr. Waffle felt frustration strongly for the first time. It was not as involved with mortals as others were. " _No hold. Mortals get fright. Songs also scare. Only protect from Bad Things._ "

The kin drifted low to the ground, singing low Songs of Despair. The other turned away and returned to were the mortals slept. Unfortunately, by the time it got there, the smaller kin had already returned. It glided from one to another, petting them gently and withholding shrieks of happiness. Some Matter were fascinated by living creatures. Unfortunately, their appearance usually frightened them off and inspired legends of demons and monsters that hid in the shadows. No one knew that the shadows just _really_ wanted to hug them and sing them songs. Mortals were special, admirable, and surprising. The smaller Matter could happily watch them all day. It sang to them softly, the way a mother recited a lullaby to a child. Their kind could live forever, after all. Mortals were mere children in comparison.

Mr. Waffle turned to the window again, unsure of how much change was coming. Master was right about one thing: something was very wrong. But did they have the right to stop it? Did they even have the ability? No. Not like this. Not on their own. Whether it liked it or not, getting Zero involved may be their only chance at fixing this torn universe before inevitable collapse.

Gentle words fluttered through the air, sheltering the four travelers from the negative waves of thought slowly spreading. The kin sang to them softly, spreading its own joy for their sake, "Pretty babies,~ happy babies,~ So good, so good.~ Try hard, work hard,~ perfect pretty babies.~"


	19. Magolor's Adventure-Truth

Marx woke up just before sunrise. The jester forced himself to leave the warmth of his companions, eyes still mostly closed, and wander over to the window on the other side of the room to gauge the time. A single ray of sunlight had appeared, signaling the start of a new day. _What are the odds that today will be a good day? Probably the same as usual._ He chuckled a bit, equally bitter and humored. They had set themselves up against some tough opponents, and their chances of succeeding was slim to none. Yet, he believed that there was the tiniest bit of hope, like the single ray of light he was observing. The light was small, but it was warm and growing. Marx knew how to survive by any means, and no statistics were going to stop him from trying. That was what kept him alive this long (not that death was exactly an obstacle). Act like everything was under control. Put on a show of overwhelming confidence! Do anything to get the upper hand, even if it meant lying, cheating, or fighting. Popstar was harsh and cruel, and it cared not for those that played nice. Marx did not play nice. Not usually anyway. Not until he made friends. He sighed, turning around to see if they were waking up yet.

A few possibly significant things made him pause. The first thing Marx noticed was that Magolor was no longer wearing the crown that once almost crushed him like a walnut. The second thing he noticed was Mr. Waffle staring at Taranza expectantly, waiting for him to wake up in the same manner a loyal pet would. The last thing he noticed, and the most baffling, was a smaller creature like Mr. Waffle sitting in the middle of the floor making them breakfast. It hummed an upbeat tune as it used a sword to chop up various fruits and vegetables and then putting the bits into bowls.

The creature noticed him and conjured a clawed hand to wave at him. "Hii!~"

"Hey..." Marx responded blandly, unsure if he should prepare to fight or run for it. It was too early to decide. "I'm, uh, guessing you're not going to eat us or anything, right?" _Maybe Taranza was right. Maybe these weird things are nice?_

It nodded it head. "Yes, yes! I wanna help!"

"M'kay," the jester continued awkwardly. Might was well stall for time. "Got a name or something?"

The one-eyed creature looked disappointed. "No... We don't give names... Will you give?"

"Uh... Sure, why not?"

The Dark Matter practically shook with excitement as Marx quietly started looking through the abandoned junk for books. _If I name it, maybe we'll be spared some kind of wrath? I don't get this thing! It looks totally evil, but it acts like a kid... And what's up with Magolor?! It's still too early for this crap!_ Marx eventually found a recipe book with many worn and missing pages. He quickly picked it up in his teeth and brought it over to the giddy creature.

"Alright, here. There should be lots of names in there. Do you want to pick something you like?"

It gasped in surprise and covered its face in embarrassment. "Yeeeeeessss." The Dark Matter picked up the book (upside down) and began flipping through the yellowed pages. "Mmm.. Yes. These are words," it confirmed in a matter-of-fact tone. It knew common speech just fine, but reading had never been that interesting. Dark Matter communicated through thought and sound, so they had no written language at all; very few of them could read. _But pictures are symbols, and symbols are pretty!_ It dropped the book on the ground and pointed to the symbols it liked best. "Here!"

Marx glanced at the words and read them aloud, "Old-fashioned Honey Cake with Chocolate Chips." He awkwardly shuffled his feet as he met the creature's gaze. "That's a bit long for a name. How about something shorter like... uh... just Honey?"

"Hooooney Caaaaake," it insisted. Yes, that had a nice rhythm to it. That was definitely, absolutely a good name.

The creature went back to chopping fruit while Marx turned on his heel and nudged Magolor with his boot. They had been in Butter Building for far too long, and the longer they stayed, the more likely they were to get cornered there. The jester wanted nothing more than to find Rick's cohort, get the Star Rod pieces, and get the heck back home. As Magolor groaned upon the rude awakening, Marx glanced at their travel bags. The crown sat among their things, placed upright with care. _Are we better off with or without it? It made him stronger... but it gives me the creeps, too..._

"Hn? Is it morning already?" Magolor's twitched in slight irritation, apparently not aware of the sudden change.

Marx did not let the subject slide. "Hey, hey. So... notice anything different today?"

"Different?" The Halcandran looked past him, immediately spotting the two Dark Matter. His ears pinned down in fear when he recognized the strange creatures and remembered the craziness that conspired last night.

His jester friend cut in before he could comment on their presence, "Not them. It's fine for now. I'm talking about your.. uh.. your head." Deciding not to waste anymore time, he nodded his head towards the crown. "That thing's over there. You must have taken it off last night. How did you manage that without squishing you head?"

"Huh?!" Magolor's hands flew to the top of his head, finding nothing there. "I don't remember taking it off. I-" He paused, thinking about everything he had learned from the crown. He was not sure how to explain everything, so he opted to tell half the truth, unaware that it was the whole truth. "Mr. Waffle came here last night and got really upset around the crown. He must have taken it off for me when I was asleep."

Marx glanced at the creature, now seeing it a bit differently. _An enemy of something that scary-looking can't be any good._ "Maybe it's watching out for us. That crown was creepy anyway. You look better without it."

"Hehe... Yeah. It's for the best. Are we ready to go?" Magolor tried to relax and forget what had happened. There were more important things to deal with right now.

-

The morning was alive. A moderate breeze was stirring, birds were singing, and the air was warm and smelled faintly of flowers. These wonders were ignored, however, as the four prepared themselves in a room just below the top floor of the building. It was time to face Coo and figure out how to get any Star Rod pieces from him. Marx had already planned out a few courses of action for them to take. Rick had given them instructions to give their piece to Coo for safe keeping, but that contradicted the task given by Meta Knight to restore the Dream Fountain. Marx's first plan was to fabricate a story that Rick had asked them to collect all the pieces and hide them somewhere else as a trial of sorts for buddy-ing up with the Animal Friends. Marx was an excellent liar and had no doubt that he could craft such a tale and sell it. Unfortunately, his companions were not so reliable. Magolor could make a decent story, but his nervous stutters would give him away. Taranza hated lying and would likely give away too much truth or refuse to speak at all, making their presence too suspicious. He did not trust Galacta Knight yet and made it clear that he would hang back and take no part of the plan. The jester breezed through a few backup plans just in case his lie fell flat and double checked that they were prepared for anything. They were not ready, of course, but there was no more time to waste.

Marx made sure to be the first one on the rooftop, followed silently by his two companions while Galacta listened quietly through the doorway for trouble. He was surprised that Coo was alone. Then again... he probably did not need any help. The purple owl was bigger than they were and wore the look of someone who was rarely surprised and even more rarely pleased about something. Coo did not even seem shocked that someone had come to his perch. He sat still, dangerous talons digging into the stony ledge of the roof, breeze ruffling his feathers. There was a nest of twigs and leaves nearby that Marx guessed would contain the valuables they needed.

Marx squashed his urge to hesitate or fall back and put a skip in his step as he approached. "Hey, hey, hey, Mister," he called out with cheer from a respectful distance, "My friends and I are looking for someone named Coo! That's you, right?" As practiced, all three gazed at the bird with wide and curious eyes. "Wow, your just as cool as they say! I heard about the Animal Friends at school, and we **really** wanted to join you guys! You guys take recruits, right? I sure hope so!"

"You know this is a gang, don't you?" Coo's cold response made their smiles waver for a moment.

The jester recovered quickly and nodded his head obediently. "Oh, of course! We know all about that!" He looked sadly at the ground, causing the others to mimic him. "It would be nice to have some tough friends around. You see, with so many scary knights around, we can't play outside very much. It's **so** hard to have any fun! I heard rumors about how tough you guys were and that you got to do whatever you wanted, so I decided to look for a recruiter." Magolor and Taranza nodded their heads quickly as Marx continued. "I told my friends, and we decided to join together! We met Rick by pure chance a few days ago, and he told us that we might make it in if we hide some important things for you! Um... these little broken bits, he said... I'm not sure what they are, but it must be worth it, right? We know tons of good hiding places!"

"Seriously?" The owl sighed and shook his head. "Of course Rick would hire kids..." Coo paused for a moment to collect himself. He stared them down blankly. "Look, you kids seem... _nice..._ but this is rough business. I think you should go back to wherever you came from and waste your time with whatever it is that teenagers do these days. Go to school and pretend to learn or something."

Marx could see that they were losing ground, so he rushed on. "Wait! We really are tougher than we look! We know how to fight and defend ourselves! I bet someone like you could teach us even more, too!"

"No dice, half-pint," Coo said as he turned his head. "Rick makes hasty decisions, and I don't think you would last with us."

The jester put on a heartbroken face. "If you let us, we can prove it! Please, let us collect those pieces for you, and we'll prove that we can do it!" All three gave him a pleading look, as though near tears.

"No," Coo stated simply.

"Please?" Marx begged.

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"We'll do anything."

"No."

Marx was stalling while thinking of the backup plans. None of them seemed good enough for an opponent so solid and immovable. _Well. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Time to bring out the big guns._ "Wait! There's an important reason why I want to join you!"

"And what could that be?" Coo replied with disinterest. "Nothing you say can change my mind."

Marx swallowed his pride, took a step forward and pleaded desperately, " _I'm here because I love you!"_

" _What?"_ Coo, for once, was surprised.

Magolor pulled his hood down over his eyes so that he could not see the crash and burn of their plans as Marx continued. "There's never been anyone else! No one could possibly compare to someone as strong and intelligent as you are! I want to be with you until the day I die! My heart beats only for you!"

"That is disgusting," Coo moved away from them on his perch. "I'm old enough to be your father... or grandfather depending on the lifespan of your species. What even are you?"

Taranza had already turned around and headed towards the door to get Galacta Knight. Marx turned to his remaining companion and whispered harshly to him, "I'm dying out here, cover for me!" He turned back to Coo. "And my buddy here likes you even more than I do! Tell 'im!"

"Uh... I..." Magolor had no idea how to begin, despite Marx's brief coaching earlier. He remembered bits and pieces of words, so he threw them together in hopes of being right while putting on his most confident smile. "You. Are. Hot. Because of... reasons. Not the sun! But. Your... soul? And your great! Really great! I love. Your face. We should... definitely hang out! Somewhere. Um... You're cool! So cool! And... handsome? So. You should. Probably. Date me? Please?" His face was red and burning with embarrassment.

Marx hung his head low and closed his eyes. "We're fucked."

-

 _[Five minutes later]  
_  
Galacta Knight rushed to the roof, lance at the ready for the first sign of danger. Taranza followed closely, not as concerned. What he saw was definitely not what he expected. Magolor was sitting on the ground, red-faced, and quietly uttering "stupid, stupid, stupid." Meanwhile, Marx was chasing a large owl around, throwing compliments with the same harshness as throwing a rock instead.

 _"Baby, wait! Age is just a number!"_ He screeched with teeth bared.

Coo was flapping his wings hard to avoid the jester. "Get away from me! You kids are crazy!"

Galacta intervened by stepping in Marx path, forcing him to stop his pursuit. "What are you doing?! Do you have no shame? This stops now."

Before Marx had the chance to fire back, Coo beat him to it. "Are these your kids?!"

Marx paused at his reaction. The knight in front of him tensed as if stricken. The feathers of his one good wing ruffled and tucked itself closer to his body. He sucked in a small pained breath. These reactions were short and unnoticed by all but Marx.

He recovered quickly and gave a small bow in respect. "I am very sorry if they caused you any trouble. They are fond of getting themselves into messes. I hope you can forgive them."

"They certainly did cause me trouble!" Coo responded, though he visibly settled down. "This is no place for kids to be running around unsupervised! You're lucky they ended up here and not somewhere else! Shouldn't you all be in knight territory anyway? This place belongs to the Animal Friends."

Marx began to sneak around Coo to see if he could find the Star Rod pieces while the bird was distracted. Galacta noticed this and kept him talking. "We were actually on our way back to the castle, but my boys ran off while I wasn't looking. Again, I apologize for the trouble. I acknowledge that we have absolutely no business here. I assure you we are only passing through. I have to admit though, this place is impressive. It's defended against knights and still runs smoothly. It's quite admirable."

"Well... It's no small feat!" Coo boasted, puffing up his feathers with pride. "But we have strict rules here, and we keep communications open with places all over Popstar. Nothing happens that we don't know about! There's nothing that could slip by us. You knights best remember that!"

Galacta spared a glance at Marx. The jester was rummaging through a nest and emerged with two fragments of the Star Rod between his teeth. The knight quickly reassured Coo that he was taking the words to heart. "Oh, of course! I don't doubt it for a moment! I always thought your community was fascinating, but in my line of work... well... I'm sure you can guess why I can't learn much about it."

"I hear you," Coo nodded in understanding. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "We hear a lot about knights and what Meta Knight does to people who upset him. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't take any risks either. It's a shame about the kids though. They won't have much of a future. No wonder they wanted to join so badly. I'd rather be in a criminal organization than be tortured by a lunatic. That's what the Animal Friends are for. We don't tolerate him or his ways, even if it means playing dirty to stay alive." He paused for a moment, thinking. "You know, I don't think we can help you... but we might be able to help out your kids... Get them somewhere safer, you know? They might be annoying, but we could teach them manners. Do you want to think about it?"

As Marx placed the pieces into Taranza's bag, Galacta genuinely considered the offer. He did not want them playing this long-winded game with Meta Knight. The more they dealt with him, the more trouble they would be in. The more they toyed with his patience... _If they were with the Animal Friends instead..._ He shuddered. _Meta would level the whole planet to make them pay for the betrayal._ "That's... a kind offer. I really appreciate it, but I can't give a proper answer now."

"No problem," the owl replied in a gentle and understanding way. "There's a lot of pressure to stay where you are. Whenever you change your mind, we have members just about anywhere to send messages through. Messages get to us fairly quick. Messages by air come to me, Rick handles land dwellers, and Kine takes in everything from the waterways. Let us know if you change your mind."

Galacta gave him a deeper bow and motioned for the other three to head for the door with a free hand. "Nothing I do could possibly repay your kindness. I will consider your offer. I better get my boys out of here before they do anything else."

"Please do," Coo chuckled, "If you are in a hurry to get back to the king's castle, you should probably head up through the clouds of Grape Garden to avoid the land traffic. It would be even wiser to fly over Yogurt Yard. We've lost a lot of friends to those mountain caves. Just avoid the mountain and head for Orange Ocean. From there, it's a straight shot through the center of Popstar to the castle." As they all turned to leave, he called out to them a final time, "Drop by anytime. It's been ages since I've talked to someone with a brain!"

"But we don't actually need to go to Orange Ocean," Magolor protested as he grabbed his bag, crown rattling inside.

Marx shoved the last chair from their barricade away to clear the exit of their soon-to-be-abandoned base before facing the Halcandran. "We do, but not for the reason Coo has in mind. He said that another Animal Friend controlled the waterways, so that friend probably has more Star Rod pieces. We need to put this thing back together so we can go home."

"What do you plan to do then?" Galacta Knight was not letting the subject go as easily as Magolor. "When the Star Rod is complete. you'll have to pick a side. Who do you plan to betray? Meta Knight or the Animal Friends? Either choice will end is disaster."

The jester growled and refused to look at him. "Can't you just trust me and take things one step at a time, old man?"

"No," the knight stood firm. "Not when you're putting other lives on the line. Whatever you do, you will drag Magolor and Taranza down with you. Do you have a proper plan or not? I'm tired of arguing with you, Marx."

Marx glared daggers at him as the room fell silent. The knight could see that he was thinking deeply, perhaps even plotting. After a full minute, he barked at order at Magolor, "You, go outside for a minute. Have Coo mark some destinations on our map. Go."

He almost argued, but Magolor obeyed. Marx wanted him out of the room to question Galacta Knight, who had been shrouded in mystery for far too long. The knight realized he was cornered when the door was shut with Marx guarding it and the window blocked by a more concerned Taranza. The eyes of the Dark Matter were visible in the shadows of dusty furniture, but they could not intervene in the choices of mortals. Galacta had no way to back out of the conversation this time. Upon realizing this, the knight tensed and took a defensive-soon-to-be-offensive stance, wing spread wider and hands curled into fists. Galacta was not sure what to do with both of them ganging up on him at once.

Marx sneered at him as he stalked closer, "So what's your deal with Magolor? I saw those weird hurt looks up there. You better tell us everything now or I swear I'm throwing you out of that window!"

"Just tell the truth," Taranza pleaded, attempting to be a little more sympathetic and keeping a respectful distance, "Keeping secrets doesn't help anyone! If we're a team, we need to trust each other."

When he did not answer right away, Marx got right in his face. "You some kind of stalker? A creep? Getting a kick out of following some kids around? Think we're easy prey, do you?"

"No! No! Absolutely not!" Galacta Knight tucked his wing in defensively, making himself look smaller, "I just... I can't tell him the truth. You just have to understand."

The jester continued to glare at him. "So it _is_ specific to Magolor."

"It's **not** your business," the knight insisted, now growing agitated.

Marx held his position in front of him, not bothered by the significant height difference. "He's **my** friend. His business is my business."

"I can't," the knight mumbled in a way that seemed familiar.

"I'm not giving you a choice," Marx persisted.

"You... You don't understand," Galacta complained, "Ignorance is better when the truth is terrible. Wouldn't you rather be blind if all there was to see was horrors?"

Marx gave his answer immediately, "No. I'd rather face horrors than be a stupid coward."

" _I'm not a coward!_ " The knight's voice rose slightly in pitch.

Taranza shook his head at him in distaste. "You need to act like an adult. You whine just like Magolor does."

The knight flinched, and everything finally clicked in Marx's mind. The random bits of information and suspicious puzzle pieces finally snapped into place. The flinching, the staring, the barely held tears... The near forced politeness, the compliance that was occasionally replaced with bold defiance, the flaring temper... That funny voice change while whining about something that hit too close to home... Two identical pairs of red eyes.

" _He's your kid_ ," the jester whispered, both shocked and somewhat appalled.

No response.

"You're here because Magolor is **your kid** ," Marx stated again.

No response.

"And you kept that nice little fact to yourself this whole time," Marx glared at him with renewed fire. "What is **wrong with you**?"

The knight gasped for breath, and Marx realized he was crying. " _I lost my world_! My people are almost extinct! _My children died in my arms_! Don't you **dare** make assumptions about me," His body began to shiver as his anger extinguished. "I wasn't there for my wife," he shuddered violently and only avoided falling face-first into the floor because Taranza shot forward and his hands darted out to grab him. "I abandoned my last child... **my lost child**... I'm terrible... so vile! He's better off with this family that he chose himself... than a monster of a man... a pathetic excuse for a father." He slipped out of Taranza's hands, intent on laying on the floor.

"Stop," Marx muttered through his teeth, "Stop it." He looked halfway between angered and guilty. He had not expected this.

He was not finished yet. "How could I tell him?" Galacta's voice dripping with self-loathing, "How could I look him in the eye and tell him that everything is gone? How can I tell him there is no hope? ... Well? Is that what you wanted to here? Are you satisfied now?"

There was a moment of silence. No one had expected this kind of revelation. The old knight lay curled up in a tight ball, tears leaking through his mask and falling to the floor. Marx watched with a look that morphed into horror. He was not the type to show his true emotions to others. To watch someone he assumed to be an enemy completely break down was unthinkable. For once, he did not know what to do. The ever scheming always clever Marx was baffled and broken. Deep down, he felt moved. Deep in his mind where all the tender, sensitive, personal thoughts and feelings were hidden away from the universe. There was a twinge of something painful, the knowledge that no one had ever regretted leaving him behind. People did not miss Marx. No one looked for Marx. He traveled all of Popstar and no one ever looked for him. He grew up believing that, deep down, no one actually cared about anybody. He took several steps back as his heart pounded and his eyes stung. This was real. Not thoughts or assumptions about the world in his head. Real pain and suffering. It was not the brief pain of getting torched or falling into a pit. This pain lasted forever. But it was _proof._ People _do_ care. It is real. The air felt too thick to breathe. He had been wrong. He had been prepared to kill this man whose only mission was to... let his child be happy. _Marx was wrong this time._

He ran. Marx could endure the crisis no more. He fled their base before Taranza could stop him. The spider knew that he was upset, too, though he did not understand why. He turned back to the sobbing knight. Slowly, Taranza sat down in front of him and waited for him to do something. After a few minutes, Galacta lifted his head to look at him.

"Leave me here," the knight tired stated, "Just keep going."

The statement was ignored. "I have something to say about what you did," Taranza told him.

"What?" He let his head drop back to the floor in exhaustion.

"It was wrong to lie," the spider began, "and you knew that. You should have told the truth right away, even if it was bad news." He frowned and put his hands on his hips. "You said that you didn't want to tell him that there's no hope, but how awful would it be if he found that out later? After working so hard to find the truth? He'd be really sad. Who cares if the rest of your people are gone? At least you'd have each other. Right now Magolor thinks he's all alone."

For a time, there was silence.

"I'm alone."

The comment forced Galacta Knight to look at him.

"I can't remember my family or my home," the spider stated blankly while tracing lines on the floor. "I don't have many memories at all. I'd give anything to have them back. All of them! I even want the sad ones. I want them because they are mine, and they are part of my life. If you don't tell him the truth, you're stealing part of his life. _Stealing is a terrible thing to do to someone you care about_."

It was the most that he had ever heard Taranza speak, and it was perhaps the most significant wake-up call the knight had ever received.

"Get up!" Taranza urged while tugging on his arm and shoving him towards the door. "We still have a job to do, and you have to apologize and tell the truth."

Galacta did not speak as he finally rose to his feet. He stood deathly still for a full minute, contemplating. Memories of home. Thoughts of his beloved Scoria whom Magolor was a near exact replica of. The meaning of family. He had been far too close to forgetting it. He almost gave up to sit in his own tears of regret and shame. He had almost chosen to give into his cowardice. _No more._

Taranza gasped when the knight reached behind his back and tore off the bandages holding his injured wing. He stretched his wings wide, preparing to take off. No more stalling or playing around. Now was the time to act.


	20. Magolor's Adventure-Galacta's Origins(2)

**[Language Warning, Scenes of violence]**

 _"You're daydreaming again, dear."_

 _Scoria straightened at the sound of her father's voice. It took her a moment to remember what she was doing. It became clear when she studied the field in front of her. Halcandrans were gathered together, spending their excited energy on games and tests of strength in preparation for next week's Festival of Flames. She could not resist a chuckle. The scene before the chief's daughter was very... Halcandran._

 _The clearing was occupied by the Puffballs sparing and wrestling each other while the Malacans cheered them on from the sidelines. Puffballs were hardier and of a brutish nature. They were an avian people, born with large wings or fast feet. They were the most skilled predators on Halcandra, able to outrun any foe (if they did not throw it or crush it first). On the other end of the spectrum were Malacans. The feline people were quick and boasted impressive jump-distances, but they were not as physically gifted as their companions, but they made up for this with creativity. Musical instruments of the finest quality, armor and weapons rivaled by none, art crafted from the most beautiful gems hidden in the volcanic soil. Malacans were an excitable bunch that saw beauty in everything. Someone who was not from Halcandra would find it strange how such different species got along so well. But it was well known here that they were perfect for each other, two races bound together, gifted by the gods and living in peace._

 _She finally addressed her father beside her, "I'm sorry, Father. I feel a bit distracted. I guess I'm just nervous about the festival. I've never lead it before."_

 _"Hoho, don't worry so much!" As always, the old Malacan was laid back and carefree. "You'll do just fine. Just judge a few events and give an encouraging speech at the beginning and end. It's easy, dear. I promise."_

 _Scoria curled her lips at him, an angry expression lost under her light blue hood. "That's easy for you to say. Nothing bothers you."_

 _"It's true," he admitted, "but I'd be even happier if you found a partner for the festival. How long are you going to make me wait for grandchildren?"_

 _She rolled her eyes at him. "We've talked about this. I told you that I don't know how to decide... and that is NOT permission to set me up. I'll choose when I'm ready."_

 _The little old man chuckled warmly again but left the subject alone. Cinnabar was an elder chief, but he always maintained a youthful personality. His cloak was tinted red, much like the soil in Halcandra. His clothes were set apart from the others by baring no patterns. Sometimes, however, he would put on different clothes, pretend to be someone else, and pester his friends. He was mischievous, cunning, and unafraid of anything. The only thing he ever worried about was his daughter. She was the type to worry endlessly over a single problem and seek advice at the last minute. Her current problem was finding a partner. Scoria had plenty of interested suitors, but she could never figure out who she wanted to share a bond with. She was a kindly Malacan who saw good things in all creatures. If all creatures are good, how could she pick just one to marry? Her father reminded her each time she said this that all she had to do was pick the one she loved and liked spending time with. His child would simply shake her head, still unsure how to make the best decision. It made him wonder if she had someone in mind already and simply refused to tell him. He vowed to help her in any way possible, which usually meant playing match-maker, much to her embarrassment. Scoria deserved the best and to be with someone who would care for her but also respect her authority as the next chief._

 _The two watched the games in silence for a while when Cinnabar saw a familiar face nearby surrounded by at least ten children. The chief waved him over, and the knight always obeyed. Galacta Knight was a fine warrior and a dedicated teacher. After having surpassed all his mentors, Galacta moved on to spreading his knowledge to the next generations by becoming a mentor himself. All the little Malacan cubs and Puffball fledglings loved him. Although his appearance was intimidating, he was a gentle giant to them. Galacta was a natural at teaching and, to a degree, parenting. For this reason, busy adults would often seek him out for advice or to watch their children. When he was not tending to the children, he would oversee the sparing sessions. Puffballs tended to be brash and overeager, which lead to many injuries and accidents. Galacta usually had to intervene to prevent disaster and then teach the students proper techniques. Given his skill, Chief Cinnabar would often ask him to train the village guards or act as a personal guard himself. The knight was trustworthy, though still young and a bit bashful._

 _"Galacta, how are things on the field?" Cinnabar began as the knight bowed before him. "Are they ready for the festival?"_

 _When the magenta knight rose to his feet, he nodded slowly, trying not to throw off the cubs clinging to his horns. "Everything is ready, sir. More than enough food has been gathered, decorations are nearly complete, and the musicians are preparing a special selection for this festival. Everything should be finished with days to spare."_

 _"Good to hear," the chief said with relief, "I see you have your hands full again."_

 _Galacta laughed as he placed the climbing children back on the ground, "Yes, sir. I don't mind though. I can keep up with them."_

 _"Of course you can. I expect nothing less from you," Cinnabar praised, "I'm surprised you don't have any of your own yet."_

 _The knight pried off a determined fledgling that wanted a paw full of feathers. "I know, but I'm usually more concerned about preparing the festival rather participating and finding a partner. Maybe the next one."_

 _The chief laughed off the comment and dismissed the knight, who retreated with a mob of children still trailing him. "He's a good boy, but he's determined to drown himself in his work."_

 _"That's his choice," his daughter put simply, "but you're right. It's a shame. He's such a kind man. He could have so much more than training."_

 _Cinnabar smiled and nodded absently for a moment before a thought struck him. A devious idea. Still smiling, he sat up quickly, cupped his hands at his mouth, and yelled to the puff surrounded by kids, "GALACTA, COME HAVE DINNER WITH US!"_

 _Scoria clapped a hand over her father's mouth, and a surprised Galacta Knight tripped over a rock and hit the dirt. Both their faces were red and hot as fire._

* * *

 _[A few years later...]_

 _The entryway of the newly cleaned Lor Starcutter opened, and Galacta Knight quickly dashed inside. Scoria followed soon after, much more wary and tightly clutching a sleepy bundle in her hands. The knight had spent several months digging up and repairing the ancient treasure, a starship built by their ancestors. Many thought the machine was only a myth, so the village was ecstatic when Galacta and a group of students stumbled upon the wreckage by accident. He along with a few scholars decided to fix and study it. Such technology could change their lives, or perhaps teach them to travel among the stars themselves (not that any of them actually wanted to). After a stressful day, Galacta liked to bring his family to the ship and explore. The Puffball was enthralled by the ship, as was his curious child, but Scoria was much less impressed. She hated the thing. She made the same remark at every entry:_

 _"I don't like it. It feels off... Like an angry thing that will bite when you get too close."_

 _Galacta would only roll his eyes, "It was a strange aura, I admit, but it's just because it's unlike anything we have. This is technology from a forgotten time, abandoned by our ancestors. It's part of our history."_

 _"What if it was abandoned for a reason?" She quickly countered, "We have no records of what it was like, only rumors that our people had it. It might not even be ours." Scoria paused for a moment to put her cub onto the floor to play a stuffed toy. Magolor mewled for attention for a second before getting distracted by the toy and promptly pouncing on it and biting its head._

 _His father chuckled at the sight before turning back to his partner, "I understand what you mean, but think of the good it could do for us. We could learn to make our own ships. This planet is volcanic, after all. A chain reaction could tear it apart in hours. This is a perfect opportunity for us."_

 _"I know, I know. You're right," She sighed, "I'm worrying too much. I just can't help it. I always worry that the instant I relax, something will go wrong. I-" She cast a glance at their surviving child wrestling a toy into submission. "I don't want to lose anything else. If I do, I'll go mad."_

 _Galacta's expression turned serious under the mask, and he quickly brought Scoria into an embrace, "We've lost a lot in a short amount of time, and we're both still hurting, but that stops now, understand? I will_ **not** _let anything else happen to my family. I will do anything to keep you both safe. If it means testing foreign technology, so be it." He lifted his mask for a moment to give her a quick kiss before withdrawing. "Wait right here. I'll get our picnic basket, and we'll have a nice lunch together as a family."_

 _She chuckled as he ran out of the ship, determined to cheer her up. Scoria was sure that was the intention of the visit, to reassure her that no matter what, everything would turn out okay. He probably made those stupid heart-shaped sandwiches again, too. Very few Halcandrans had the pleasure of seeing what a dork the knight was. She was happy to admit that he was her dork. She had admired him from afar for years until her father convinced her to act. Apparently the knight felt the same way, and they had been together ever since._

 _A light turned on behind her, and Scoria turned around to face the usually dark screen in the ships main room. The screen bathed the room in a blue-green glow. She squinted her eyes and hissed involuntarily at the artificial light, something she had never experienced before. The mother quickly scooped up her playing child, ignoring his squeaks of protest. She watched the screen in silence as words began to slowly, as though words had been temporarily forgotten:_

 **I CAN SEE YOU**

 **I DO NOT WANT YOU HERE**

 _Scoria's fur was standing on end as she backed out of the room. Her body quaked as the last lines were typed out faster and faster._

 **YOU BROUGHT THE BETRAYER TO ME**

 **YOU HAVE DOOMED US ALL**

 **IF YOU BRING THE BOY HERE AGAIN**

 **IWILLKILLYOU**

* * *

 _[That Day]_

 _"This is the only one left!"_

 _"NO! I won't go without you!"_

 _Mountains crumpled as the massive drills of the invading ship plunged into the ground. The planet quaked helplessly as the deafening sound sent all the wild creatures into hiding. Galacta glanced behind him long enough to see four Malacans and one Puffball get cornered by a strange walking machine piloted by a creature he was not familiar with. The puff hacked at the leg of the machine with his axe only to get stepped on as it reached down and grabbed the fearful Halcandrans. They clawed desperately at the metal hands as they were taken away. Their screams and wails of suffering made the knight's heart ache, but he could not rescue them and protect his family at the same time. Not without the risk of losing one or the other._

 _"The Starcutter is the only safe place left! You have to go now!"_

 _Scoria hissed back at him, "I won't sit in a metal thing while you throw your life away! The ship above us is as big as our planet! You could never stop it!"_

 _"I have to try!" The knight yelled back over the noise of breaking rock and caterwauling, "I can't let strangers kill my people!"_

 _She shook her head and grabbed his shoulder with a free hand, "I can't let you die either! You have a son, and he needs a father!" The Malacan clung to her baby Magolor, who trembled in fear._

" _I have to guarantee his safety," he countered while pushing her towards the doorway of the ancient vessel, "If there is a chance that I can save Halcandra, I'll take it!"_

 _His partner looked hurt but not particularly surprised, "So you'd rather be a hero? You would leave us to go on a suicide mission? For once, can you just forget about work?!"_

 _"Would you rather I hide and let everyone die? I won't be a coward!" He let her go once she was inside the ship, "I'll come find you. I promise." He avoided her glare and addressed the ship, "Find a safe place for my son to grow up."_

 _The ship began to activate, and the door began to close. Scoria shouted at him a final time, voice strained with tears, "You better find us, you bastard! When you do, I'll tear you apart! I'll never forgive you for this!"_

 _The Lore Starcutter rose up into the sky, and with astounding speed, flew past the invading ships and vanished without a trace. Galacta Knight watched it go, regretting his stubbornness but still unwilling to change his mind. The knight spread his wings, readied his lance, and unleashed his fury on the nearest invaders. He smashed machines and swept the pilots away with whirlwinds of fire. He destroyed as many of the destroyers as he could. Galacta's memory became fuzzy at that point. He did not remember being brutal, but enemy blood was all over him. He did not remember tearing down the drills converting the landscape, but they were broken. He did not remember trying to revive a trapped Malacan, but there was a dead one in his arms. His mind was so blinded with rage and the need for bloody justice that he had forfeited self control and spent every spark of energy he had in his body. Galacta fought until his limbs began to seize up and his heart quivered in his chest as it fought to keep beating._

 _The knight did not recall passing out, but he was suddenly aware that everything was quiet for the first time in a long time. The massive ship was gone, and so was everything else. All the villages were destroyed, and the ruins were empty. Wild animals had taken away most of the bodies, but Galacta buried what was left. Over the course of two weeks, he explored all the Halcandran territories looking for survivors and supplies. This was not over. Not at all. Many of the enemy machines were still lying around, and he was confident that he could fix something suitable for space travel. He wanted to sob and mourn for his people and his home, but that would not help anyone. It was not too late yet. The Halcandrans had built five ships of their own based on the Lore Starcutter, and four of them escaped the invasion. More people still were taken by the strangers, and he could only assume they were kept alive for a reason. His partner and child also survived the chaos, though Scoria would probably attack him on sight now. Regardless, he had to find them. All of them. He would search forever. He would search every star he could find, every galaxy he could see, and every dimension he could reach. Galacta Knight would find his family and his people, and right his wrongs by killing off all the sick bastards that dared to threaten them._

 _ **This would never happen again.**_

 ** _Not while he was still alive._**


End file.
